The Hughes of chick lit, plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

The last name Hughes is legendary when it comes to the movie industry. Thanks to Anita Hughes, this last name will now become legendary when it comes to the genre of chick lit. Anita has splashed onto the literary scene with her decadent escapist beach read and debut novel, "Monarch Beach" (reviewed here). She has two more books awaiting publication in the next year or so, and if they're anything like "Monarch Beach," readers will be in for a treat!

A wonder from down under, Anita was born in Sydney and had a charmed childhood that included petting koala bears, riding the waves on Bondi Beach, and putting an occasional shrimp on the barbie. Her writing career began at the age of eight, when she won a national writing contest in THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper, and was named "One of Australia's Next Best Writers." She received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College, and attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program. She currently lives in Dana Point, California with her family, where she interrupts her writing to watch the glorious sunsets. You can find her at her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Anita is here to talk about what made the other Hughes famous, even though she doesn't mention any of his movies here. (We still love her anyway!) Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies of "Monarch Beach" for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

Favorite movie about friendship:
THELMA AND LOUISE is still one of the best movies about female friendship. They are two such strong women sharing a wild and emotional ride. (And of course it doesn't hurt that Brad Pitt is featured without his shirt on.)

Favorite foreign film:
LES RIPOUX. I am a huge French film buff. Les Ripoux (My New Partner) featured a young Thierry Lhermitte. I admit I developed a huge crush on him that never waned - plus the script was very funny.

Favorite movie about time travel:
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. This was one of my favorite novels and the movie did it justice in every way: a pure romantic delight.

Favorite movie based on a chick lit novel:
SOMETHING BORROWED. I have read and loved every Emily Giffin novel. Kate Hudson was perfect in SOMETHING BORROWED and the whole cast made you feel like you were hanging out with old friends. I loved it!

Movie you've seen the most times in a theater:
LOVE, ACTUALLY. There is not an actor or part of this movie I don't love. I have seen it so many times, I could probably recite the lines, but it still gets better and better.

Movie that made you cry the most:
RUNAWAY BRIDE. I'm a sucker for romance. I cry in any movie when the steadicam shot follows the guy and girl reuniting at last. Even though I know Julia Roberts and Richard Gere will get together, when that steadicam shot zooms in on them outside the church I always burst into tears.

Chick lit novel that you wish were a movie:
I just finished reading WIFE 22 and I cannot wait for it to be made into a movie! It is absolutely fabulous and made for the screen.

Who would you cast in the lead roles if "Monarch Beach" were made into a movie:
Anne Hathaway as Amanda, Oliver Martinez as Andre and Richard Gere or Tom Cruise as Edward. (Tom Cruise should be cast in every movie). Someone really fun like Kate Hudson as Stephanie.

Special thanks to Anita for chatting with us today and to St. Martin's Press for sharing "Monarch Beach" with our readers.

How to win "Monarch Beach":
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: Which movie made you cry the most?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

Giveaway ends July 2nd at midnight EST.