Interview with Jen Lancaster and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Hello Chick Lit Lovers! Today is a very exciting day for us at Chick Lit Central! We have been graced with a visit from the wickedly funny Jen Lancaster!

Jen stopped by to answer some of our questions, talk about her latest book (and first foray into fiction), "If You Were Here", and make us laugh out loud with her amazingly quick wit. We hope you enjoy her honesty, humor, and Chicago dining recommendations as much as we do. (We asked her a lot about her Chicago ties since we're also originally from the area and we feel a connection with her as a result!)

We would like to thank Jen for taking the time for this interview as well as for just being her.

Thanks to Melissa Broder at Berkley/Penguin, we have two copies of "If You Were Here" to give to some lucky readers in the US or Canada!

If you like what you've seen here, visit Jen at Facebook and Twitter.

Watch the trailer for "If You Were Here." It's hilarious!:


MP: What is your usual writing routine?
JL: I’m the worst procrastinator in the world, so I tend to avoid doing any sort of meaningful work on my manuscript the first six months after it sells. Then, when my deadline looms, I wake up every day and plant myself at my desk before 8:00 AM. I write all day, taking a break for lunch, and then up until dinner. I do my best not to work at night or on the weekend. I tend to be more creative under pressure, so this schedule actually works for me. Plus, being stuck at a desk all day reminds me of what it’s like to have a day job and keeps me putting out my best work so I can avoid the need to find one again.

MP: Do you ever suffer from "writers block"? If so, how do you remedy it?

JL: I make myself meet word counts every day, regardless of whether or not I feel like writing. I keep such a strict schedule due to my own procrastination that I rarely give myself the luxury of having writer’s block. I make myself turn out something, no matter how uninspired, with the rationale that I can’t edit what I haven’t written. However, I always build a couple of extra days into the schedule in case I feel an overwhelming urge to step away from my manuscript. And you know what? Sometimes an afternoon spent hanging out on the couch with cheese popcorn and the Real Housewives is exactly what I need to recharge.

MA: If you sold the film rights to "If You Were Here," who would you cast in the main roles?
JL: Prior to the Oscar telecast, I’d have said Anne Hathaway and James Franco, but now that I’ve seen their chemistry together, not so much. I’m still Team Anne but honestly, I’m Team Whatever Star Wants to Attach Herself to This Project, Including Chick Flick Movie Ruiner Katherine Heigl. Mac could be played by any actor who’s ever been in a Judd Apatow film and has a sense for the sarcastic.

MA: Which of your books was the most challenging to write?
JL: The books where I’ve tried to accomplish something, e.g. lose weight or culture up were easy because I was setting up tangible events and then writing about them. So, I’d say the second one, "Bright Lights, Big Ass." That one was more of a collection of funny essays, so it was harder to knit together than others with a more cohesive narrative. A good portion of Bitter was already written when we sold it, so this was my first time starting from scratch. Ironically, until "If You Were Here," it’s my favorite book I’ve written.

MP: What is your favorite Chicago food?
JL: The greatest meal I’ll ever have in my life came from Chef Grant Achatz’s restaurant Alinea in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Recently it was named the best restaurant in North America. Dining there, depending on how many tasting courses you elect, can run from three to six hours and every second is worth it. But based on cost and reservation availability, it’s a once in a lifetime experience. So in terms of being a frequent flyer, my real Chicago food passion is the string of dirty burrito joints that dot Western Ave. I don’t know what it is about those places, but honest to God, it seems like the filthier the seating area, the better the burrito. There’s a taco stand in Logan Square where the carne asada makes the angels weep, as do their restrooms.

MA: If you were to give someone a tour of the Chicago suburbs, what would be some of the highlights?
JL: Every time someone comes to town, I take them on the John Hughes tour of the North Shore. So many of his movies were filmed within ten miles of my house and there’s a million recognizable landmarks. I drive everyone around for far too long, shouting, “Hey! That’s Cameron’s place where they drove the car through the window! That’s the pond where they were ice skating in Home Alone!” It’s all very exciting.
For me, mostly.
Then I’d take them to my favorite antique shops, avoiding the amazing consignment store where the elderly volunteers don’t know how to price anything and I’m perpetually finding thousand dollar pieces of carnival glass for fifteen bucks. (What, you don’t constantly carry The Pocket Guide to Carnival Glass of North America with you?) So… if you come to my house, bring a book or an iPod because I’m probably going to bore you with a lot of esoteric road trips.

MP: Share a favorite memory from a past birthday.
JL: My latest birthday was pretty spectacular. My husband arranged for some of my best girlfriends to come in from New York and a big group of us got together for a dinner at Moto, a molecular gastronomy restaurant with a private room. The meal was simply insane as the dishes had all been chemically rearranged using stuff like liquid nitrogen and cocktails were served in beakers and vases and everything but a regular glass. The night was a mixture of college friends and newer writing pals and having almost everyone I love in the same room was one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten.

MP: What is your favorite thing to do in the spring?
JL: I’m a devoted gardener and this is the first year I’ve ever owned my own house, so I’ve been dying to get out there and work the earth. I always plant too early, yet it’s worked out nicely for the past few years with my whole garden done by April 1. This year I went so conservative and didn’t plant a damn thing until the 17th. Naturally it snowed on the 18th. Also? This weather is making me a little stabby. If I don’t get to start going sockless soon, something very bad is going to happen.

MA: What Chicago sports team do you root for the most?
JL: I hate the fair-weather sports fans that only root for local teams once they begin to win, so I won’t lie and say I follow anyone. I don’t. I’m a terrible Chicago sports fan. If anything, I’m a Wrigley Field fan. I love going to Cubs games as much as I used to love college football games, meaning I sit in the stands, have many drinks, and spend the entire time talking and not paying attention to whatever’s happening on the grass. However, I’ve been following the progress of the Lake Forest High School hockey team because a couple of members sold us our Christmas tree as a fund-raiser. Feels nice to finally be part of a community where I have a connection – albeit tenuous - to the schools.

MA: What is one piece of advice you have for someone writing their first novel?
JL: Write when you’re ready to write. I receive a lot of email from people telling me they have a novel inside them, but they can’t seem to find the time to get it out, and do I have any advice? Listen, when your book’s ready to be written, you’re going to be consumed with getting the words out. You won’t need someone to coach you. In fact, no one will be able to stop you.
On top of that, don’t become consumed with the business of writing before your work is ready. A lot of folks will get an idea for something and their first instinct is to find an agent/publisher. But I promise you this – figure out your story and write enough to know exactly what your voice sounds like, and then the selling part will be far less complicated.

Thanks again to Jen for her witty insight and Melissa B. for providing the books for the giveaway.

How to win "If You Were Here":

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 or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite memory from a past birthday?

2. Please tell us: Who is your favorite character from a John Hughes film?
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. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends May 15th at midnight EST.

More by Jen Lancaster: