Girl talk with Gemma Burgess...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by 
Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

The last time Gemma Burgess visited with us was in early 2011 to chat about her novel, A Girl Like You. Since that time, she and I have stayed in contact. I have enjoyed hearing what she has been up to, between having her first child and writing a new series about 20-somethings living in New York. The first novel of that series, Brooklyn Girls, will be hitting shelves next week! In honor of this, and her previous novel, we are doing a very girly "This or That." Think of it like a slumber party when you're looking through the latest fashion magazines with your BFFs.

Gemma Burgess has been all over the place. She currently lives in New York City with her Irish husband and their baby who was born in Switzerland. Prior to this, she was born in Australia, grew up in Hong Kong, went to a French International school and was a copywriter in advertising in London. Her new series, Brooklyn Girls, is about a group of friends in their early 20s. When life is so fun, but so hard. When you’re usually crying, broke, hungry, lost, heartbroken and a little drunk. When you figure out not just what you want in life, but how you’re going to get it. The first novel is like the title track of an album, as it is named for the series. Gemma has FIVE signed copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada! If you've been wishing to read her previous novels but couldn't find them in the US, both The Dating Detox and A Girl Like You will be available on Kindle starting in mid-July!

You can find Gemma at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Manicure or pedicure?
Pedicure. I can handle bare nails, cut super-short and buffed. But I NEED nice toenails. It's like having clean teeth: I don't feel right without them. I like Essie Sugar Daddy or OPI Black Onyx.

Heels or flats?
I adore heels, but I wear flats. I wore very high dark red Miu Miu heels to get married, then changed into silver sequined Converses for the reception. That pretty much sums me up.

Dangly earrings or posts?
Neither. I am the most boring jewelry person in the world. I only wear engagement and wedding rings.

Retail or thrift?
I loved thrift as a teenager - a pair of hobnailed boots two sizes too big that I wore constantly for years stands out in my memory, and a very nasty army coat that my mother only got off my back by - literally - cutting it off when I was watching TV one day... but these days, retail. Usually online.

Casual or dressy?
Both. Either. All. Everything. I love clothes. I am a girly girl. I am just as happy in the perfect pair of denim shorts as I am in a killer dress.

Makeup or natural look?
Makeup to look natural. I *love* make-up (see: girly girl) and even write about it for magazines sometimes. Current obsessions are NARS Tinted Moisturizer and Edward Bess bronzer. I am constantly searching for the perfect blonde eyebrow pencil.

Hair down or ponytail?
Down the day I wash and blow-dry it, ponytail the day after. I also like messing around with French rolls and chignons but I have a feeling I don't do a great job a lot of the time.

Cosmopolitan or Glamour?
Glamour though I'm more of an Allure, Vogue, Vanity Fair and NYLON girl at heart.

Thanks to Gemma for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win Brooklyn 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 do you love most about being a girl? (If you're a guy, what is the most girlish trait you possess?)
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/Canada only. Giveaway ends June 30th at midnight EST.