Kate Rockland rings in 2012 and has a book to give away

**Giveaway is now closed**

Kate Rockland takes us on the set of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at the beginning of her latest novel "150 Pounds" (reviewed here), which is headed to bookshelves on January 17th. She also has something very exciting in the works for this spring, but you'll have to read her interview to find out what that is! Kate lives in Hoboken, NJ (which is quite a happening town, especially on Halloween) with her husband, son, and a cat named Elizabeth Taylor. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times. She proudly admits that she weighs 150 pounds.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies of "150 Pounds" to give to some lucky readers ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!


You can find more about Kate (and how "Rock" is part of her last name because she totally "rocks" when it comes to chick lit) by visiting her blog, as well as her Facebook and Twitter pages.

Which authors have inspired you?
I started reading strictly chick lit in high school, mainly Marian Keyes. Her book "Watermelon" was my favorite. I love the ups and downs the main character goes through when her man leaves her. I once wrote her a fan letter, and her husband wrote me back, which I found too funny! I went through kind of a dark East Coast male writer phase, reading everything by Stephen King, John Irving, and Harlan Coben. Then in college, my mom introduced me to the British Lit madams, Ngaio Marsh, Elizabeth George, and P.D. James. I still love a good murder mystery, preferably over a cup of tea!

What is one piece of advice you have for future writers?
Never give up. Try to write a little bit every day, even if you’ve had too much wine to drink. Keep a stickie pad of paper next to your bed and write down ideas from dreams. My first book "Falling Is Like This" was rejected many, many times before St. Martin's offered me a two-book deal. It’s like dating: You have to kiss a lot of frogs!

What was the inspiration behind "150 Pounds?"
I gained and lost fifty pounds twice in two years. When I got married, my husband started to explore cooking. The women in my family do not cook. The most we’ll do is boil an egg. So I quickly put on fifty pounds as a newlywed. Luckily, my husband loved my curves. It sucked having to buy all new clothes, though. So I did weight watchers. Then, as soon as I got back to 135 pounds, I got pregnant last year! Boom! 50 Pounds again. It took nine months to take off the weight, which I did with walking. Then, as soon as I got back to about 145, I got pregnant for the second time. I think I’ve given up on ever wearing my string bikini again, and I’m okay with that. I began to think about how women and their weight are so closely linked. To men, they don’t really pay any attention to their bellies or their scales. The “freshman 15” seems to only apply to one gender, which isn’t fair. Also, women go through these colossal weight changes when they hit puberty, and when they have pregnancies. When I’m sad, I eat Hagen Daaz coffee ice-cream. My moods, emotions, and life revolves around my weight. I think it’s like this for a lot of women. Also, "150 Pounds" is my battle cry. I’m so sick of the media showing us skinny celebrities as if that’s the norm. The average sized American woman is a 14. Not a 0. I’d like in my lifetime to see that reflected in movies, commercials, and print media.

Are you currently working on anything new you can tell us a little bit about?
I’m writing a book about a woman who becomes a surrogate for her sister, but I don’t have the characters in my head very strong yet. They haven’t started "talking to me," if you will.

Who do you relate to more: Alexis or Shoshana?
I love Shoshana. Obviously Alexis is not very likeable, although I hope the reader likes her a little bit more in the end of the book than the beginning. Shoshana is a "friend collector," as am I. I’m outgoing, loud, and funny. I love to eat. Food is life and happiness, in my mind. She listens to music from the sixties and dresses kind of crunchy, which is not really me, but the warmth she has is a lot like me. However, I could never live with three female roommates! I’d go crazy.

Was Oprah okay with you giving her a cameo and some dialogue in "150 Pounds?"
Let’s hope so. I can’t afford a lawsuit. I haven’t made back my advance from St. Martin's yet!

If "150 Pounds" were optioned for film, who would play Alexis and Shoshana?
I think Kate Hudson would make a great bitchy Alexis. She did a great job in “Something Borrowed.” I’d love to get Nikki Blonsky to play Shoshana, from Hairspray. She’s curvy, funny, and has a loud voice. She’d be perfect. Nikki, take the role!

Why do you think most people choose weight loss or exercise as their new year's resolution. Do you know of anyone who has stuck with that kind of resolution throughout the year?
I think people choose weight loss as their New Year’s resolution because commercials for diets bombard us with guilt. We also live in a very visual culture. I think people should stop torturing themselves and come up with better resolutions, like they’re going to stop being so judgmental of themselves, and love their bodies just the way they are this year. Unless your doctor says they’re concerned for your health, live a little! My New Year’s resolution is to drink more wine and eat more chocolate.

What is the strangest, craziest or most "out there" new year's resolution you have ever made?
One year I promised myself I’d be more adventurous, so I went to Hawaii by myself. I rented a car, and drove around, into mountains, and even took surfing lessons. I remember a huge turtle swam right underneath my board. I got third degree burns from not wearing SPF. But I still made it to Hawaii! Maybe my resolution should have been to wear SPF. I’m really glad I traveled alone. It was lonely at times, but I can always brag about having done it.

Now that it's the beginning of a new year, what month are you looking forward to the most?
May, because not only is it the beginning of summer, but my second child is due. I can’t wait to find out if they’re a boy or a girl!

How to win "150 Pounds":

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):
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Giveaway ends January 8th at midnight EST.