Winners of "The Baby Planner"

To pick our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and then asked Josie Brown to choose the winning numbers. Here is her response:

How about 15, 56 and 82?

Congrats to PoCoKat, Jonita and Lisa!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks again to everyone for participating and to Josie for her entertaining blog post and for giving away the books through CLC.

Don't forget about our current giveaway:
"Sweet Valley Confidential" by Francine Pascal (or a shirt)
US/Canada only
Ends April 3rd at midnight EST

Winning Wednesday--March 30th

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

New giveaways:

"Sweet Valley Confidential" by Francine Pascal

* Chick Lit Central
US/Canada only
Ends April 3rd at midnight EST

* Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends on Friday at 6 pm PST

"Recovery" by Alexandrea Weis
So Many Books, So Little Time So Here's Mine
Ends April 3rd at 10 pm PST

"Georgia's Kitchen" by Jenny Nelson
The Write Stuff
US only
Ends April 3rd

"The Map of True Places" by Brunonia Barry
Free Book Friday
Ends tomorrow at midnight

"The Baby Planner" by Josie Brown
Luxury Reading
US Only
Ends April 15th at midnight (Same time as taxes!)

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
The Book Connection
US/Canada only
Ends April 3rd at 11:59 pm EST

"Drinking Closer to Home" by Jessica Anya Blau
Confessions of a Real Librarian
Ends April 7th

"The Four Ms. Bradwells" by Meg Waite Clayton
A Cozy Reader's Corner
US/Canada only
Ends Friday

"Ms. Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" & "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo A Cozy Reader's Corner
US/Canada only
Ends April 3rd

"Letters From Home" by Kristina McMorris
A Cozy Reader's Corner
US/Canada only
Ends April 3rd

"I Love the 80's" by Megan Crane
Mom Lit (Join the group to participate)
Ends tomorrow

Previously posted (still going on):

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only
Ends April 30th at 6pm EST


"The Midwife's Confession" by Diane Chamberlain
BookTrib
US/Canada only
Ends today

"The Four Ms. Bradwells" by Meg Waite Clayton
Booking Mama
US/Canada only
Ends April 4th at 11:59pm EST

$100 e-gift card to the bookstore of your choice!
Book Blogger, Author and Publisher Giveaways
Ends April 26th

The Blogiversary Box of Books
A Bookworm's World
Ends April 16th at 6pm EST

A Dynamic Story Writing Contest
So Many Books, So Little Time So Here's Mine
Ends April 4th at 10 pm PST


"The Bird House" by Kelly Simmons
Peeking Between the Pages
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd

"Skip a Beat with Sarah" Sweepstakes
Sarah Pekkanen's Facebook page
US only
Ends July 31st at 12:59 am EST
New winner announced bi-weekly on Mondays.

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only
Ends tomorrow

Three Year Blogiversary with Giveaway
Peeking Between the Pages--Visit the blog to see the details, 3 different chances to win!
Ends April 2nd

"Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" and "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo
A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd at 6 pm EST

Manic Mommy's March Madness Book a Day Giveaway!
Manic Mommy...See blog post for more details
US/Canada only
Every day in March...ends March 31st

"Best Staged Plans" by Claire Cook
Claire Cook's Facebook Page
Like this page and tell all your friends to like it too. Then tell her that Chick Lit Central sent you.
Ends when the page reaches 3500 fans

"The Frog Prince" by Jane Porter and other goodies
Jane Porter
Ends today

Help Kaira Rouda get 800 fans, win "Here, Home, Hope" and Dogeared Jewels and Gifts Karma Necklace
Kaira Rouda Books on Facebook
Ends when this page reaches 800 fans

Interview with Francine Pascal and book (and shirt) giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

For many of us, our love of Chick Lit started with the Sweet Valley High series. Well for those of you that have been missing Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, they’re back! Thanks to Ann-Marie Nieves from St. Martin's Press, we got to chat with author Francine Pascal just as her newest Sweet Valley book is hitting the shelves. We here at CLC are so happy that she stopped by and can’t wait to read “Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later!"

St. Martin's Press is giving away two books and one Sweet Valley T-shirt to some lucky readers in the US or Canada.

For more information on "Sweet Valley Confidential," visit the website and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

MP: What was your inspiration for writing the SVH series?
FP: Probably my own high school years. Remembering the excitement of that first independence, of running your own life at last. And then I just knew Sweet Valley High would have great appeal to everyone making her way through adolescence.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
FP: I write four pages a day excluding weekends, holidays, dentist appointments and lunch dates.


MP: How do you like to spend your time when you are not writing?
FP: I love to read and I’m lucky enough to live in the middle of New York City and can walk everywhere. I love to play poker and see movies and go to the theater.

MA: Were any of the stories in SVH written based on personal experiences?
FP: All stories had a bit of me in them because “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

MA: Do you feel that the stories in SVH could still be applicable to teenagers today, or have you considered updating some of the books to apply to their interests?
FP: I think those stories apply today as well as twenty something years ago. Even though Sweet Valley took place before Facebook, Twitter and smart phones the experiences the characters go through are timeless:

heartbreak, love, tragedy, triumph...they never go away. And you can’t hide those things behind the mask of technology. I'd say that most readers would still relate to all of the characters; because let's face it: everyone knows a Todd and a Lila!

MA: Did you ever feel like siding with Jessica or Elizabeth or have you remained non-partial all these years?
FP: What a great question! Usually I am asked if I, myself, am more of an Elizabeth or a Jessica; to which I always respond: I'm an Elizabeth with some Jessica Tendencies so in most cases I did side with Elizabeth. That is not to say I don’t love Jessica. Ninety percent of the stories would exist with her.

MA: Which secondary character did you have the most fun writing about?
FP: That would definitely be Lila Fowler. She was just outrageous and totally spoiled. It was fun living in Lila's head! Unlike Jessica, she had no saving graces.

MP: Do you always know how a story will end before you start writing, or do you change the ending as the story unfolds?
FP: I know pretty much how it will end, but big changes happen as I write it and I allow them and sometimes they take me to totally unexpected places.

MP: I read that you split your time between New York and the South of France, what are your favorite things about each place?
FP: It’s the difference between city living and country living. France is very special and it’s always a challenge to live in another country, especially if that country is as magnificent as France. I’m in the south where the artists went for the beautiful colors. But I love New York where you have everything and don’t need a car to enjoy it. Both places have their wonderful aspects, but if I had to choose I would take New York. I’m a city girl at heart. And it is in my home country.

MA: What is your favorite memory from high school?
FP: The excitement of working on the school newspaper. Like Elizabeth I wrote the gossip column and got dumped in the pool when I was discovered.

Special thanks to Francine for answering all our questions and to Ann-Marie from St. Martin's Press for facilitating the interview and providing the books and shirt for the giveaway.


How to win "Sweet Valley Confidential" (or a shirt):
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: When you were in high school were you more like Jessica or Elizabeth?
2. Please tell us: Which secondary SVH character is your favorite? (Ex. Lila, Bruce, Enid, etc.)
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)


US/Canada only. Giveaway ends Sunday, April 3rd at midnight EST

For another chance to win this book, visit Chick Lit is Not Dead. Ends Friday at 6 pm PST.

Winners of "Night Road"

To find the winners, we assigned a number to each entry and then asked the Custom Random Number Generator to choose the winning numbers.

Congrats to:

4-Lacey
33-Amber
58-Sheena

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating.

Thanks again to Kristin Hannah for a lovely interview and to Wiley Saichek (AuthorsOnTheWeb) for providing the books for the giveaway.

Quite a few of you mentioned that Francine Pascal was your favorite author when you were growing up. Well...she's going to be at CLC tomorrow and we have some copies of "Sweet Valley Confidential" to give away!

Book Review: Why I Love Singlehood

By Melissa Amster

I have not been single in almost 10 years, but I do recall enjoying my single days, which is why the title of Elisa Lorello and Sarah Girrell's book spoke to me right away. While I love being married and wouldn't trade it for the world, I also respect women who enjoy being single, even when they are still hoping to meet Mr. Right. Likewise, I respect women who, like myself, still find ways to be individuals while in a committed relationship. This is the philosophy at the core of "Why I Love Singlehood."

After a long relationship comes to an end, Eva (pronounced as Ava) writes a blog about why she enjoys being single. And she has a lot to enjoy, being the owner of a coffee shop and having a fun-loving circle of friends who visit her shop every day. However, seeing her ex-boyfriend in a new relationship sets her into a tailspin and she starts to evaluate whether or not she really wants to be single after all.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. Eva has a strong voice throughout and is easy to relate to, whether or not the reader is single. I liked seeing the different dynamics played out between Eva and her friends, family members, love interests, etc. The use of description made it easy to visualize people, places and events. There were a lot of pop culture references, which I always enjoy seeing in a novel. It was written in a humorous way but still had a lot of heart and left the reader with something to think about in the long run.

The one criticism I had was really minor, but something that annoys me in any book. The authors chose to wait several chapters before sharing the pronunciation of Eva's name. I was thinking that she went by Eva, as the way it was spelled. However, she reveals during a date that it is pronounced "Ava" instead. That threw me off because I kept flipping back and forth with how I said her name in my mind afterward. I wish they had spelled it the way it sounded or shared the pronunciation in the beginning of the novel. It didn't affect how much I enjoyed the novel overall, but it was something that could have been easily taken care of right away. (It's like letting me think a character is blond based on the cover art and then telling me she's a brunette halfway through the story, altering my mental picture of her.)

Overall, it was a great story that anyone can appreciate, regardless of their dating or marital status. It was extremely well-written and easy to follow along. Given that I am not as good with staying on top of e-books as I am hand-held books, and the fact that my household just increased by one member over the last month, it took me a lot longer to read this novel than I had hoped. However, I was able to easily pick up where I left off, even if I went days or weeks between chapters. I hope Ms. Lorello and Ms. Girrell will team up on more books in the future. I really liked their writing style and I highly recommend "Why I Love Singlehood."

Josie Brown is back and she has a new book to give away!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Happy Spring Chick Lit Lovers! Lucky for us, author Josie Brown has stopped by CLC to charm us with her wit and offer some practical advice. I’m sure most of you remember our interview last fall with Josie about her last book, “Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives” and today she is back talking about her latest novel, “The Baby Planner”.

Josie has even provided us with a sneak peek of the book (and possibly a $100 gift card), set to hit shelves in early April. She also has three signed copies of "The Baby Planner" to give away to some lucky readers in the US or Canada. We hope you will all enjoy reading her guest post and enter to win! We love when the wonderful Josie comes to visit us here at CLC!
Happy Reading
xo M&M


What Not to say to a Pregnant Husband
By Josie Brown

One of the greatest moments in a new mommy’s life is when she gets to tell the man whose child she is carrying the big news.
I’ve been blessed in that I got to deliver that message twice.
Neither time did The Hub faint, which is good, because he’s bigger than me, and I can’t imagine having the task of breaking his fall.
His face was a kaleidoscope of emotions: shock, joy, fear, pride, fear again, a smidge of denial….
I’m glad report that the default setting was joy, as it should be.
But let’s face it: for whatever reason, “the big news” is not always great news to all guys. In fact, in my latest novel, THE BABY PLANNER, my heroine, Katie Johnson has to deal with her own husband’s reticence on the issue of having children. Her way of coping is to channel her energies into her clueless clients’ mama dramas. Lots of fun, as you’ll find that out when you pick up your own copy.
In regard to my own pregnant pauses, I was very lucky in the fact that The Hub was into every aspect of my pregnancy. He loved going to the doctor with me, teared up at the sonogram, and made sure I was cosseted and cuddled in every way…
He even found a button-down shirt made of the same material as one of my pregnancy tops.
That’s when his pals pulled him aside and said: “Um…Dude…you’re taking this a bit too far.”
Okay, yeah, maybe that was a BIT much.
That leads me to four things you shouldn’t say, when you have the great fortune of meeting a soon-to-be dad who is still in shock and awe over his new role:
1: “Just think: he’ll be just like you were, in your teens.”
2: “It’s a girl? How sweet…until she discovers boys. THEN you’ll have your hands full..”
3: “Have you started saving for college? No? Haven’t you figured out how much that will cost, by the time he turns eighteen?”
4: “What if she looks like you?”
That leads me to the best thing you could say to this guy, who’s got his whole future—and that of his new little family—ahead of him:
“You are the luckiest man alive.”

Enjoy this excerpt of my book! And after you read it, enter my contest for a chance to win a $100 gift card to your favorite bookstore.
--Josie Brown, author of THE BABY PLANNER
(Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books; in bookstores April 5, 2011)

Thanks again to Josie for visiting us again and sharing her blog post with everyone, as well as providing the books for our giveaway!

Follow Josie on Facebook and Twitter.
Check out her website and blog.


How to win "The Baby Planner":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: How did your significant other react to the news that you were pregnant? (Or how did someone you are close with share news of their pregnancy with you?)
2. Please tell us: What do you look forward to the most about Spring?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends Tuesday, March 29th at midnight EST

Winning Wednesday--March 23rd

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

New giveaways:

"Night Road" by Kristin Hannah
Chick Lit Central
US/Canada only
Ends March 27th at midnight EST

Birthday Giveaway
Chick Lit Plus
US only
Ends March 24th

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only
Ends April 30th at 6pm EST


"The Midwife's Confession" by Diane Chamberlain
BookTrib
US/Canada only
Ends March 30th

"The Four Ms. Bradwells" by Meg Waite Clayton
Booking Mama
US/Canada only
Ends April 4th at 11:59pm EST

"I Love the 80's" by Megan Crane
Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends tomorrow at 6pm EST

$100 e-gift card to the bookstore of your choice!
Book Blogger, Author and Publisher Giveaways
Ends April 26th

The Blogiversary Box of Books
A Bookworm's World
Ends April 16th at 6pm EST

Previously posted (still going on):

A Dynamic Story Writing Contest
So Many Books, So Little Time So Here's Mine
Ends April 4th at 10 pm PST


"The Bird House" by Kelly Simmons
Peeking Between the Pages
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd

"Skip a Beat with Sarah" Sweepstakes
Sarah Pekkanen's Facebook page
US only
Ends July 31st at 12:59 am EST
New winner announced bi-weekly on Mondays.

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only
Ends March 31st

Three Year Blogiversary with Giveaway
Peeking Between the Pages--Visit the blog to see the details, 3 different chances to win!
Ends April 2nd

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
Woman's Day
Ends March 27th

"Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" and "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo

* Books and Needlepoint
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 28th at midnight CST

* A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd at 6 pm EST

Manic Mommy's March Madness Book a Day Giveaway!
Manic Mommy...See blog post for more details
US/Canada only
Every day in March...ends March 31st

"Best Staged Plans" by Claire Cook
Claire Cook's Facebook Page
Like this page and tell all your friends to like it too. Then tell her that Chick Lit Central sent you.
Ends when the page reaches 3500 fans

"These Things Hidden" by Heather Gudenkauf
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
US/Canada only
Ends March 25th

"The Frog Prince" by Jane Porter and other goodies
Jane Porter
Ends March 30th

Help Kaira Rouda get 800 fans, win "Here, Home, Hope" and Dogeared Jewels and Gifts Karma Necklace
Kaira Rouda Books on Facebook
Ends when this page reaches 800 fans

Chick Flicks are Chick Lit too!

Despite what you might think otherwise, chick flicks have either been based off chick lit novels or the screenplay was written with a female audience in mind. So it does have its basis in chick lit in that sense. Sometimes it's easy to envision how a chick flick would look as a novel. It's also easy to want to cast chick lit novels as movies and see how they would play out.

In honor of a very well known chick lit novel making it to the big screen this summer..."Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin, that is...we both decided to share our top 10 favorite chick flicks. We're also listing books that haven't been made into movies, but should.

Melissa A:

Favorite chick flicks...

1. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
2. Legally Blonde
3. When Harry Met Sally
4. Coyote Ugly
5. Where the Heart is
6. 27 Dresses
7. Clueless
8. Enchanted
9. While You Were Sleeping
10. My Best Friend's Wedding

Books that should be movies:

1. "The Chocolate Lover's Club" by Carole Matthews
2. "The Opposite of Me" by Sarah Pekkanen
3. "Jemima J" by Jane Green
4. "The Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella
5. "Spin" by Catherine McKenzie

Melissa P:

Here are my 10 faves...

1. The Proposal
2. Sweet Home Alabama
3. Stepmom
4. The Holiday
5. Center Stage
6. Practical Magic
7. Mona Lisa Smile
8. The Wedding Date
9. Legally Blonde
10. The Devil Wears Prada

5 books I would like to see made into movies

1. "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella
2. "Rachel's Holiday" by Marian Keyes
3. "The Cougar Club" by Susan McBride
4. "Winter Garden" by Kristin Hannah
5. "I Heart New York" by Lindsey Kelk

Feel free to share what your favorite chick flicks are and which books you think would make great chick flicks....

Interview with Kristin Hannah and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Kristin Hannah grew up in Southern California, but moved to Washington state during her youth and has lived there ever since, placing most of her stories there, as well. She went to law school but then later decided she was meant to be a writer. She became a professional writer in 1990 and has never lost her love of, or enthusiasm for, telling stories (most of which are tearjerkers for all her loyal readers).

Kristin dropped by Chick Lit Central on the day of publication for her latest novel, "Night Road" (reviewed here) to answer our questions about "Night Road" and talk about her writing experiences, which we hope you'll find as interesting as we did! Wiley Saichek from AuthorsOnTheWeb has three copies of this long-awaited novel to give away to some lucky readers in the US or Canada!

If you like what you've read here, check out Kristin's blog and become a fan on Facebook.

MP: How do you like to spend your time when you aren't writing?
KH: Well, to be honest, writing is actually one of my favorite activites. I simply love to world build and write down what I see. But like all jobs, there are times when I need to be away from it, need to decompress a little and enjoy some of the other things I love. My favorite place to be in the world is on a beautiful beach, watching the surf roll toward me, reading a book. I love to ski and surf and run. And traveling--that's my new big thing. Since my son moved away from home, my husband and I have finally found the time to do a little traveling and we love it. In the past few years, we've visited Africa, Mexico, and Italy. Next up: Ireland.

MP: What was the journey to publishing like for you?

KH: I have loved everything about writing, including the haul it took to get published. I can say with certainty that I'm glad my first novel wasn't published. And so is anyone who reads my work. :) It takes a long time to really get your feet wet with writing and to begin to know what you're doing. That's one of the job's great joys--you're always learning something new, always growing, always striving to be better. Specifically, for me, the start of the career came about because of two key facts. One was that I found my writing soul mate, my critique partner, author Megan Chance. We have really been there for each other every step of the way for twenty years. We learned how to write together and we continue to push each other to be better with every book. Secondly, I entered my newbie novel in two prestigious writing contests and won them--that paved the way to getting "the call" from an editor and got me started.

MP: What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing "Night Road"?
KH: In many ways, Night Road was slightly less of a challenge for me than the book I wrote before it, Winter Garden. Night Road came so completely from my own life that I found it a joy to write. That being said, it was about some extremely difficult topics, and in many ways, creating the emotional arc of the book was hard for me. Put simply, in this book I had to face many of my own fears and put them down on paper. But as with all things, once you face that which scares you, you gain strength and perspective. Through the writing of the book, I really looked at my own parenting style--it's easier to do a thing like that when your nest is suddenly empty--and it was a great gift. I really hope that the women who read this book will feel it on a deeply emotional level. I hope it will spark conversations between parents and children, and husbands and wives. The book has a truly important and powerful message. Of course, hopefully it's just a great read, too. :)


MP: How did you celebrate when your first book was published?
KH: Hmmm...that's a great question. The truth is I'm not quite sure. I probably called my girlfriends and my husband and my family and screamed a bit with all of them and then made dinner. :) I'm not a huge event celebrater. I try to celebrate the smaller joys in my life, and never to take anything for granted. I try to remember that as much as I love writing, it's a job, and what matters--good news or bad news--is the journey of it all. That means that if I don't take the great news too seriously, I don't have to take the bad news too seriously, either, and that outlook keeps me on an even keel.

MA: Which of your books do you feel you've put the most of yourself into?
KH: Definitely Firefly Lane and Night Road.

MA: What was your inspiration for "Night Road?"
KH: My inspiration for Night Road was my son's senior year of high school. In the middle of it, I was honestly as stressed out as I've ever been, and I'm not an overly stressed out gal, and my son was a great kid. But that year was a constant battle of wills between us. I was doing everything I could to keep him safe and steady, and he was doing everything he could to test his wings and find his independent self. It made for a crazy, wonderful, stressful, terrifying year. And any parent who has been there (and any kid who has lived through it) knows that once the partying and staying out late and "I'm eighteen, I'm an adult, you can't tell me what to do" starts flying, you are kind of at a loss. I also saw with my son how keenly important that year was to him. He and his friends became so emotional and melodramatic and connected to one another. I loved hearing how much they meant to each other, and how afraid they were that these lifelong friendships would fall apart when they went their separate directions. I wanted to explore all those powerful emotions. I also wanted to look back on all of it, with the perspective of time, and see if there were things I could have done differently.

MA: Are you working on any more novels for the next year or so?
KH: I am just putting the finishing touches on the first draft of the novel for 2012. Of course, it's not really a first draft. By the time I get to the end of a novel, I've written it dozens of times, but I call it a first draft because I haven't sent it to my editor yet. She will definitely want changes. She always does. :)

MA: Who was your favorite author when you were growing up?
KH: Let's see. Flat out favorite? Stephen King. But before him, there's a list that tracks the course of my youth: Frank Baum, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Roald Dahl, JRR Tolkien, Arthur C. Clarke, Frank Herbert, and S.E. Hinton.

MA: You do call-ins and visits to book clubs: What was the most challenging question you were ever asked by someone in a book club?
KH: The hardest question for me to answer is always "where do you get your ideas?" I try to come up with something that sounds good, but the truth is that I don't really know. I go in search of them and somehow they find me. I go through a lot of wrong ideas before I find one I'm willing to commit a year of my life to.

MP: You recently took a trip to Italy to celebrate your birthday, what is the most memorable part of the trip?
KH: So much of it was memorable. I flat out fell in love with Italy. But I would have to say that the most memorable city was Florence. Sunrise on the Arno river was an absolutely magical experience.

Special thanks to Kristin for answering our questions with so much detail and to Wiley from AuthorsOnTheWeb for giving away the books.


How to win "Night Road":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: Who was your favorite author when you were growing up?
2. Please tell us: What is your favorite Kristin Hannah novel? (If you haven't read her novels yet, which one would interest you the most to check out? Visit her website to see titles and descriptions.)
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends Sunday, March 27th at midnight EST

Winners of "I Love the 80's"

To find the winners, we assigned a number to each entry and had Megan Crane choose three numbers at random. Here's what she had to say:

How about 13, 80 (of course!), and 101!

I'm so glad to get the chance to share this book with you all here at Chick Lit Central. I loved writing it--and I hope you'll love reading it, too!

Congrats to Kat, Susana and Book Groupie!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks again to everyone for getting all nostalgic with us and to Megan for taking us back in time and sharing her book for the giveaway.

Tune in tomorrow for our interview with Kristin Hannah and a chance to win "Night Road."

In the meantime, we're giving away a copy of "Stupid and Contagious" by Caprice Crane (not related to Megan, even though they both write fun stories). Stop by our Facebook page to enter! Open internationally. Ends Wednesday.

Winning Wednesday--March 16th

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

New giveaways:

"I Love the 80's" by Megan Crane
Chick Lit Central
Ends March 20th at midnight EST

A Dynamic Story Writing Contest
So Many Books, So Little Time So Here's Mine
Ends April 4th at 10 pm PST

"Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" and "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 20th

"Skipping a Beat" by Sarah Pekkanen
Kiss and Zutell...just leave a question and your e-mail address in the comments section...Sarah Pekkanen will choose the winner
Deadline unknown, but the sooner the better...

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris
Writing is a Blessing
US/Canada only
Ends Friday

"The Bird House" by Kelly Simmons
Peeking Between the Pages
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd

"The Other Life" by Ellen Meister
Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends tomorrow at 6pm PST

"Crooked Moon" by Lisette Brodey
Free Book Friday
Ends tomorrow at midnight

Previously posted (still going on):

"Skip a Beat with Sarah" Sweepstakes
Sarah Pekkanen's Facebook page
US only
Ends July 31st at 12:59 am EST
New winner announced bi-weekly on Mondays.

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only
Ends March 31st

Three Year Blogiversary with Giveaway
Peeking Between the Pages--Visit the blog to see the details, 3 different chances to win!
Ends April 2nd

"Skipping a Beat" by Sarah Pekkanen
Booking Mama
US/Canada only
Ends tonight at 11:59 pm EST

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
* Colloquium
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 20th at 11:59 pm PST

* Woman's Day
Ends March 27th

"Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" and "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo

* Books and Needlepoint
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 28th at midnight CST

* A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd at 6 pm EST

"Everleigh in NYC" by Cathleen Holst
Chicklit Club
US only
Ends tomorrow

"In Dreams" by Deanna Lee Warren
Fiction with a Purpose--Brenda Youngerman
US only
Ends tonight at midnight PST

"Chasing Charlie" and "Kissing Kelli" by Kathy Carmichael
Clean Romance Reviews
US only
Ends March 18th at 11:59 pm CST

Manic Mommy's March Madness Book a Day Giveaway!
Manic Mommy...See blog post for more details
US/Canada only
Every day in March...ends March 31st

"Best Staged Plans" by Claire Cook
Claire Cook's Facebook Page
Like this page and tell all your friends to like it too. Then tell her that Chick Lit Central sent you.
Ends when the page reaches 3500 fans

"These Things Hidden" by Heather Gudenkauf
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
US/Canada only
Ends March 25th

"The Frog Prince" by Jane Porter and other goodies
Jane Porter
Ends March 30th

Help Kaira Rouda get 800 fans, win "Here, Home, Hope" and Dogeared Jewels and Gifts Karma Necklace
Kaira Rouda Books on Facebook
Ends when this page reaches 800 fans

What Megan Crane loves about the 80's...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Megan Crane is a New Jersey native who was hoping to star on Broadway as Evita. She eventually became a novelist and is known for "Frenemies," "Names My Sisters Call Me," "English as a Second Language" and "Everyone Else's Girl." She now lives in L.A. with a dog, three cats and her husband and is still hoping for a chance to star on Broadway. Her latest novel is a fun look at nostalgia called "I Love the 80's." She's here to talk about her 80's memories and is giving away three copies of this new novel to readers anywhere in the world. "I Love the 80's" is being released in the UK tomorrow. (It can also be purchased on BookDepository.com with no shipping fees.)

If you like what you've read here, check out Megan's blog that she shares with her literary alter-ego, Caitlin Crews. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

MA: What was your favorite fashion fad/trend from the 80's?
MC: I remember really liking to wear as many Swatch watches as I could fit on my arm. Why did I do that? I have no idea. I think I would also wear eight hundred Madonna-like black rubber bracelets on the other arm. I thought this was extremely cool in the eighth grade.

MA: What is your funniest memory from growing up in the 80's?
MC: Aren't all memories from the 80s kind of funny--and sad? I can't decide if I think the decade was so odd because it spanned the conscious part of my youth, or if it was universally ridiculous. I lean toward the latter.

MA: What is one thing that you remember about the 80's that you think others would not remember so easily?
MC: Well, all my personal drama, of course. Happily, that's all mine!

MA: What was your favorite 80's sitcom?
MC: The Golden Girls. I just loved them.

MA: What is one thing from the 80's that you wish were still around today?
MC: My youthful skin. I miss it so.

MP: What is your favorite 80's song?
MC: This is a hard question to answer. I think I have to go with "Save A Prayer" by Duran Duran for the sake of argument (although, really, there are so many choices). That one always works. Such a great song. One of the best things about writing this book was putting together my Eighties music playlist. It's amazing how many of those songs stand up today!

MP: Which 80's movie could you watch over and over again? Why?
MC: Any John Hughes movie. Or any early John Cusack movie. Why? Because they defined my teenaged life!

MP: What inspired you to write a book that is set in the 80's?
MC: A while back, I ended up watching a bunch of 80s videos on YouTube. It was so much fun. I still know all the words to "Club Tropicana" and "Wham! Rap." I still get chills when "Save A Prayer" starts playing. How could you not? I wallowed in my long-dormant crushes on singers like Simon LeBon, Sting (circa Dream of the Blue Turtles), and George Michael.

And I thought, what if one of them had died way back in the day, at the height of their glory? And what if one of the teenage girls who were So In Love With Them They Owned The Six Foot Poster and All the B-Sides grew up still loving them that much? And what if one fine night, that obsessed fan girl (now, say, in her 30s) found herself transported through time to New York in 1987 and got to meet this man of her dreams--who only she knew was destined to die horribly in just over a month?

So, obviously, I had to write that book.

MP: What was one of your favorite activities in the 80's?
MC: My favorite thing to do in the 80s was to write my books in the black and white notebooks I carried everywhere. I wrote in class. I wrote at home. I wrote wrote wrote. It never occurred to me that anything would come of it.

MP: What was your favorite toy, game, or doll in the 80's?
MC: I had a couple of cabbage patch kids. And a pound puppy. (The stuffed animal.) I liked Glamor Gals. I always wanted all the Strawberry Shortcake dolls, but I never got them. Or Barbie. My mother was opposed to Barbie. It just occurred to me to wonder what happened to all those toys... Huh.

Special thanks to Megan for answering our questions and taking everyone on a trip through time, as well as offering the books for the giveaway!


How to win "I Love the 80's":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What is one thing from the 80's that you wish were still around today?
2. Please tell us: What is your favorite trend or fad from the 80's?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Giveaway ends Sunday, March 20th at midnight EST

Winner of "Letters from Home"

To find the winner, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Kristina McMorris to pick a number at random. Here's her response:

Let's go with #37.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a comment. For those who venture on to read Letters From Home, I hope the story touches your heart as much as my grandfather's letters have touched mine.

Congrats to Michele!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating and sharing stories of how your parents and/or grandparents met. Thanks again to Kristina for telling us about her book and for doing this giveaway with us.

For another chance to win this book, visit Redlady's Reading Room. (US/Canada only. Ends March 31st.)

Also, try your chances with Writing is a Blessing. (US/Canada only. Ends Friday.)

Tomorrow, Megan Crane takes us back in time. Don't miss out!

Book Review: Nanny Returns

By Melissa Amster

When I heard that there was a sequel to "The Nanny Diaries," I eagerly anticipated reading it as soon as I could get my hands on a copy. I finally received the opportunity to read it, but was left with mixed opinions.

After her employment with the X family was terminated, Nan moved overseas with her sweetheart (The Harvard Hottie) for the next twelve years. After returning to New York, she and her (now) husband find themselves living in a construction disaster zone. Her husband is away all the time and she's working for a school that doesn't have their act together. Meanwhile, Grayer X (her old charge) is now 16 and mixed up in the world of drugs and alcohol. He seeks her out to help him and his little brother, Stilton, while their parents are going through a messy divorce. It's not long before Nan finds herself dragged back into their drama.

What I liked about "Nanny Returns" was the creative way Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus decided to bring back the characters for some sort of twisted reunion. That as much as Nan wished to avoid the X's, she couldn't stay away for long. I liked how the stress levels escalated for Nan so quickly between her home, her job and her dealings with the X family's drama. The characters were colorful and the dialogue was comical. I especially liked the sarcastic responses going on in Nan's mind. The scenery and characters were well described and easy to visualize, as well.

Having said that, what didn't work for me, and what slowed down the reading process, was that I felt like I was dumped into the middle of a conversation and had no way to backtrack or keep up with what was going on. I had to read paragraphs and sentences several times to make sure I wasn't missing something crucial. I know some of this was to aid in Nan's confusion (such as with her job), but it threw off my momentum while reading the story and it took an extra effort to get through it so that I could enjoy the "meat and potatoes" at the heart of the story. While the writing seemed very sophisticated with lots of ten dollar words, it was a bit much for me.

Overall, it was a fun story and I liked not knowing what to expect. It was full of irony, as well. I liked Nan's relationship with the X boys and enjoyed seeing how she would handle each curveball that was sent her way. I think it's worth checking out, especially if you liked "The Nanny Diaries" as much as I did. And if you can explain to me what I was having trouble understanding, then more power to you.

Winning Wednesday--March 9th

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

New giveaways:

"Skip a Beat with Sarah" Sweepstakes
Sarah Pekkanen's Facebook page
US only
Ends July 31st at 12:59 am EST
New winner announced bi-weekly on Mondays.

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris

* Chick Lit Central
US/Canada only, No PO Boxes
Ends March 13th at midnight EST

* Colloquium
US/Canada only, No PO Boxes
Ends March 13th at 11:59 pm PST

* Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only
Ends March 31st

"Night Road" by Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah's Facebook Page...comment on the post about this giveaway to enter
Ends Sunday

Three Year Blogiversary with Giveaway
Peeking Between the Pages--Visit the blog to see the details, 3 different chances to win!
Ends April 2nd

"Skipping a Beat" by Sarah Pekkanen
Booking Mama
US/Canada only
Ends March 16th at 11:59 pm EST

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
Colloquium
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 20th at 11:59 pm PST

"Falling Apart in One Piece" by Stacy Morrison
Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends tomorrow at 6 pm PST

"Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing" and "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" by Kathy Cano-Murillo

* Books and Needlepoint
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 28th at midnight CST

* A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends April 2nd at 6 pm EST

"Girl in a Spin" by Clodagh Murphy
Clodagh Murphy's Facebook Page...comment under the posting about the giveaway
Ends March 11th

"The Kindness of Strangers" by Katrina Kittle
Free Book Friday
Ends Thursday at midnight

"Everleigh in NYC" by Cathleen Holst
Chicklit Club
US only
Ends March 17th

"The Truth about Delilah Blue" by Tish Cohen
The Write Stuff
US only
Ends March 13th

"In Dreams" by Deanna Lee Warren
Fiction with a Purpose--Brenda Youngerman
US only
Ends March 16th at midnight PST

"Chasing Charlie" and "Kissing Kelli" by Kathy Carmichael
Clean Romance Reviews
US only
Ends March 18th at 11:59 pm CST

"Skipping a Beat" by Sarah Pekkanen
Bermudaonion's Weblog
Ends March 13th at midnight EST


Previously posted (still going on):

Manic Mommy's March Madness Book a Day Giveaway!
Manic Mommy...See blog post for more details
US/Canada only
Every day in March...ends March 31st

"Best Staged Plans" by Claire Cook
Claire Cook's Facebook Page
Like this page and tell all your friends to like it too. Then tell her that Chick Lit Central sent you.
Ends when the page reaches 3500 fans

"His Other Wife" by Deborah Bedford
Readaholic
US/Canada only. No PO Boxes
Ends tomorrow

"The Bird House" by Kelly Simmons
Luxury Reading
US/Canada only
Ends March 11th at midnight EST

"These Things Hidden" by Heather Gudenkauf
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
US/Canada only
Ends March 25th

"The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus" by Sonya Sones
GoodReads
US only
Ends tomorrow

Third blogoversary giveaway
The Book Chick
Anywhere BookDepository.com ships to
Ends March 11th at midnight EST

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
* Woman's Day
Ends March 27th

"The Frog Prince" by Jane Porter and other goodies
Jane Porter
Ends March 30th

Help Kaira Rouda get 800 fans, win "Here, Home, Hope" and Dogeared Jewels and Gifts Karma Necklace
Kaira Rouda Books on Facebook
Ends when this page reaches 800 fans

Interview with Kristina McMorris and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Kristina McMorris lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. She has garnered more than twenty national literary awards since writing her first novel, "Letters from Home." A graduate of Pepperdine University, she spent twelve years hosting weekly television shows, including an Emmy® Award-winning television show at age nine. Prior to her literary career, she was the owner of a wedding/event planning business and public relations director of an international conglomerate.

For more, visit her website, become her friend on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Inspired by a collection of her grandparents' World War II courtship letters, Kristina penned her first novel, LETTERS FROM HOME. This award-winning book, which celebrated its release just weeks ago, is being hailed as "ambitious and compelling...[a] sweeping debut" by Publishers Weekly. Various book club rights have been sold to Reader's Digest and Doubleday, sales of global rights are on the rise, and the film rights are represented by the prestigious Creative Artists Agency of Los Angeles.

Book summary:
In the midst of World War II, a Midwestern infantryman falls deeply in love through a yearlong letter exchange, unaware that the girl he's writing to isn't the one replying. Woven around this tenuous thread are three female friends whose journeys toward independence take unexpected turns as a result of romance, tragedy, and deception, their repercussions heightened by an era of the unknown. Beautifully rendered and deeply moving, Letters From Home is a a story of hope and connection, of sacrifices made in love and war -- and the chance encounters that change us forever.

A discussion guide and 1940s recipes are featured in the book, making it a great selection for reading groups!

Watch the book trailer:


Kristina stopped by Chick Lit Central to talk more about this fascinating new novel and has also offered to give away one signed copy to a lucky winner in the US or Canada.

MA: Could you tell us how the story came about?

KM: Several years ago, I was creating a Christmas present for the family. It was a self-published cookbook featuring recipes my grandmother had collected and created over decades. While interviewing her for the biographical section, she began to talk about her courtship with my late grandfather. That's when I discovered, much to my amazement, that they had dated only twice before getting married, as their relationship had developed almost entirely through an exchange of letters during World War II. Grandma Jean then retrieved from her closet a gorgeous stack of those very pages, each one full of the love and hope that had helped carry them through.

After leaving her house, I continued to think about their letters. And I wondered how different their relationship might have been if their correspondence had been anything less than truthful. This thought soon became the core idea of LETTERS FROM HOME.


MP: Did you initially face challenges selling your manuscript?

KM: In the beginning, absolutely! Although I've always remained passionate about the premise of my book, my craft had a long way to go. Also, when I first set out to find an agent, WWII was not a "hot" genre for women's fiction, to put it mildly. But eventually the market shifted, thanks to a handful of popular novels set during that era, and they opened a door for books like mine to make it to the shelves.


MA: Is it true that a portion of the proceeds from the book will benefit a specific charity?

KM: That's right. It's called United Through Reading, which is a nonprofit organization that video records deployed U.S. military personnel reading bedtime stories for their children. Not only is it a wonderful cause, but one that promotes literacy and, like my story, brings together loved ones separated by tours of duty. I couldn't ask for a better fit!

MP: I understand you just completed another book. Can you share a little about that?

KM: My next novel is titled BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES. Essentially, it's about a female Caucasian violinist who secretly elopes with her Japanese-American boyfriend—against societal molds and families' wishes—the night before Pearl Harbor is bombed.

I'm very eager to share this one with readers. It features some shocking aspects of history that most people have never heard about, as well as heroes who are too often passed over. Also, being half Japanese, I was able to infuse a unique perspective of living between worlds.

Special thanks to Kristina for giving us more insight about her novel and for giving away a copy of "Letters from Home" through our blog.


How to win "Letters from Home":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: How did your parents or grandparents meet?
2. Please tell us: What charity interests you the most?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. No P.O. Boxes. Giveaway ends Sunday, March 13th at midnight EST

Winners of "Sounds Like Crazy"

To find the winners, we assigned a number to each entry and then asked Shana Mahaffey to pick two numbers at random. Here was her response:

How about 7 and 46?

Big thanks to Chick Lit Central and all the wonderful readers. I appreciate having the opportunity to do a guest blog post and read all your thoughts who are your favorite love interests and what makes an interesting novel. Food for thought for sure!

Thanks again, Melissa A & P, and best wishes to all of you.

Cheers,
Shana Mahaffey

Congrats to PoCoKat and Jeryl!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks again to everyone for participating and to Shana for explaining to us the best way to write a love interest for a novel.

Stay tuned for a new giveaway tomorrow!

Winner of "Everleigh in NYC"

To find the winner, we assigned a number to each entry and then asked Cathleen to pick a number at random. Here is what she had to say:

Let's go with #24.

Thank you so much, Chick Lit Central, for hosting this giveaway. It's been fun. I also want to thank all the readers who were so kind to stop by and read my post as well as taking the time to leave a comment. Thank you all so very much. You're all winners in my book. Happy Reading, y'all!

Warmly,
Cathleen xx

Congrats to Linda2060!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to Cathleen for sharing her dream with us and for giving away a book through our blog!

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Don't miss out on our latest giveaway:

"Sounds Like Crazy" by Shana Mahaffey
International
Ends Sunday at midnight EST

Winners of "Confetti Confidential"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and then used the Custom Random Number Generator to choose the winning numbers.

Congrats to:

4-Kat
12-Jonita
34-Tiffany Drew
70-ShanaElyse
72-Nancye


Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating and to Mellony Torres from Simon and Schuster for providing the books!

Don't miss out on our current giveaway:

"Sounds Like Crazy" by Shana Mahaffey
International
Ends Sunday at midnight EST

Winning Wednesday--March 2nd

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

New giveaways:

"Sounds Like Crazy" by Shana Mahaffey
Chick Lit Central
Ends March 6th at midnight EST

Manic Mommy's March Madness Book a Day Giveaway!
Manic Mommy...See blog post for more details
US/Canada only
Every day in March...ends March 31st

"Staying at Daisy's" by Jill Mansell
Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends tomorrow at 6 pm PST

"A Scattered Life" by Karen McQuestion
Free Book Friday
Ends tomorrow at midnight

"Best Staged Plans" by Claire Cook
Claire Cook's Facebook Page
Like this page and tell all your friends to like it too. Then tell her that Chick Lit Central sent you.
Ends when the page reaches 3500 fans

"His Other Wife" by Deborah Bedford
Readaholic
US/Canada only. No PO Boxes
Ends March 10th

"Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris
At Home with Books
US/Canada only
Ends March 6th at 11:59 pm PST

"The Bird House" by Kelly Simmons
Luxury Reading
US/Canada only
Ends March 11th at midnight EST

"These Things Hidden" by Heather Gudenkauf
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
US/Canada only
Ends March 25th


Previously posted (still going on):

"Skipping a Beat" by Sarah Pekkanen:
Colloquium
US only, no P.O. Boxes
Ends March 6th at 11:59 pm PST

"Colorful Chick Lit" Package Giveaway
Livin' La Vida Latina
US only
Ends March 5th

"Haunting Jasmine" by Anjali Banerjee
The Book Chick
US/Canada only
Ends March 8th

"The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus" by Sonya Sones
GoodReads
US only
Ends March 10th

Third blogoversary giveaway
The Book Chick
Anywhere BookDepository.com ships to
Ends March 11th at midnight EST

"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough" by Ruth Pennebaker
Peeking Between the Pages
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends March 5th

"Born Under a Lucky Moon" by Dana Precious
* Woman's Day
Ends March 27th

* Luxury Reading
US/Canada only
Ends March 4th at midnight EST

"The Upside of Down" by Rebecca Talley
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
US only
Ends March 8th

"Cowboys Never Cry" by Tina Welling
Luxury Reading
US only
Ends March 4th at midnight EST

"The Frog Prince" by Jane Porter and other goodies
Jane Porter
Ends March 30th

Help Kaira Rouda get 800 fans, win "Here, Home, Hope" and Dogeared Jewels and Gifts Karma Necklace
Kaira Rouda Books on Facebook
Ends when this page reaches 800 fans