Fun in the sun with Meg Donohue...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Sarah Deragon

**Giveaway is now closed**

It's June and the heat is on! Time to put on your swimsuits, lather on some sunscreen, and lay out on the beach with what is proving to be a hot summer read...Meg Donohue's latest novel, All the Summer Girls (reviewed here). She's here today to answer some fun questions about the hottest season of the year in a new interview format we are doing called "This or That." (She's the first to do an interview this way, so give her a round of applause for her fun responses!)

Meg Donohue is the bestselling author of All the Summer Girls and How to Eat a Cupcake, the latter of which was translated into Dutch, German, Italian, and Polish. She has an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now lives San Francisco with her husband and two young daughters. Both of her books combine chick lit, a bit of mystery and depth.

Visit Meg at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to HarperCollins, we have one copy of All the Summer Girls for a lucky US reader!

Pool or ocean?
Ocean, of course! One of my favorite summer pastimes is settling into a beach chair in the shallow water and reading while the ocean ebbs and flows around my feet.

Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
I'm a FroYo girl. Preferably with some chocolate or caramel candy mixed in.

Carnival or amusement park?
I think there's something surprisingly romantic about carnivals, though I'll admit I often wonder about how diligently those traveling rides are checked for safety. (Can you tell I'm a mom?)

Kayaking or canoeing?
I really love both of these, but I haven't canoed in at least a decade. I kayak every summer in the bay in Avalon, New Jersey, sticking mostly to the narrow channels that cut through the wetlands. It's so peaceful!

Mountain biking or hiking?
Hiking. With young kids, I hike less than I'd like these days, but my husband and I used to take "urban hikes" with our dog through San Francisco's many parks almost every weekend.

Surfing or water skiing?
Surfing, because there's always the option to just sit on your board and bob up and down on the waves, and you can still call it exercise!

All inclusive resort one week vacation or a seven night cruise?
I am one of those people who finds the idea of a cruise a bit claustrophobic...but an inclusive resort? Heaven!

Watermelon martini or Blackberry Sangria?
I'm a sucker for watermelon drinks, and there is something so elegant and festive about a martini glass, so I'll happily accept a watermelon martini! Cheers!

Thanks to Meg for putting us in a summer mood and to HarperCollins for sharing her book with our readers.


How to win All the Summer Girls:
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:
1.Please tell us: What is your favorite way to kick off the summer?
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. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US only. Giveaway ends June 10th at midnight EST.