Lydia Laceby does it by the book and has a novel to give away

Introduction by
Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

Back in the spring of 2010, before Chick Lit Central was even established as a blog, I won my first book giveaway. The prize was The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes. The person giving out this prize was Lydia Laceby, owner of Novel Escapes. (Oddly enough, there's a character named Lydia in the book who has become one of my favorites from a Marian Keyes novel.) After I had won the prize, we stayed in touch via e-mail and she helped me feel better about CLC not gathering enough interest in the beginning. She gave me tips on how to build an audience and told me about a website where I could mention my giveaways. Little did I know, she was writing her own novel, and it has now been published. And of course, it's chick lit! Naturally, I reached out to her as soon as I found out about her book, as I knew I just HAD to feature her at CLC.

Lydia's debut novel, Redesigning Rose, is about a woman who has to rebuild her life after finding out that her husband was lying to her. Thanks to the help of a newfound friend, she discovers new truths about herself.

All I know so far is that if Samantha Stroh Bailey loved Lydia's novel, then it's bound to be a hit!

Since Lydia and I met because of our love for books, I felt it was only fitting to theme her "This or That" questions around the topic of books and reading! And not only does she give away books at her own blog, but she's also sharing TWO signed paperbacks of Redesigning Rose with some lucky readers in the US, Canada and/or UK.

When Lydia isn't reading or writing (or writing about reading), she knits cute baby hats, would pick cheese over chocolate–if she had to choose–and regularly cheats on her allergy free diet. You can find Lydia at her website (where there's also a sneak peek of chapter one), Facebook and Twitter.

E-reader or Printed?
E-reader! Not only do I read on my commute to work, but I cart a book around in my purse whenever I leave the house. Since acquiring my e-reader, I'm thrilled I no longer fund my chiropractor’s annual vacations by traipsing around with an extra book in my bag whenever I think I might finish the one I'm reading. And not only that, but sometimes the second book I selected isn't quite what I feel like reading and with my e-reader I always have plenty of options.

Babysitters Club or Sweet Valley High?
Sweet Valley High! I have no words for how much I loved that series!

At a crowded event or in a coffeeshop?
A coffee shop is my thing. I’m not a huge fan of crowds and love a more quiet atmosphere – maybe because it's much more conducive to reading.

Get from the library or buy from the store?
I heart buying books from the store so I can give them a permanent home on my shelves.

Mystery or Fantasy?
Mystery – unless it’s Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. Before I latched onto chick lit, I read mostly mystery or thrillers, particularly Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver, and Patricia Cornwall.

Curious George or Clifford?
Curious George. I've always been pretty curious, and ever since I began writing in earnest my wondering about the world has quadrupled. In addition to asking "what if" about almost every situation I encounter, see, or imagine, I also ask why. Why? Why? Why? My poor husband.

Keep on shelves or give away?
I generally keep all the books I love and pass on or donate the ones I know I will never re-read. Sometimes I'll lend out a great one as long as I know it will boomerang right back. Shortly after Novel Escapes was born, we found we just couldn't keep all the books we received and began offering them away as giveaways in the hopes of stirring up more of an audience. (Fun Fact: Melissa Amster was one of our first winners!)

Book club or read on your own?
Reading on my own seems to be my way these days. Every book club I ever belonged to only talked about the book for all of five minutes before the gossip began. It’s not that I didn't enjoy the chit chat, but I found I’d rather hang out with friends without the pressure to read something on a deadline, which I now do constantly with Novel Escapes.

Thanks to Lydia for sharing her love of books with us and her debut novel with our readers.

How to win Redesigning Rose:
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: Do you prefer an e-reader or a printed book?
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/UK only. Giveaway ends June 23rd at midnight EST.