Don't hate Caprice Crane because she's awesome...plus a book giveaway

Introduction and interview by Tracey Meyers

When I first got asked if I was interested in interviewing Caprice Crane I was told she was "snarky, in a hilarious way." "Snarky? Perfect, this is my kind of person!" I thought to myself.

However, what I have come to find out in a short period of time and a few instant messages is that behind her sassy Facebook posts and snarky tweets, is a kind and sincere individual.

Born in Hollywood, Caprice has been living each and every day as if it was her last for quite some time. After graduating from college, she started her career with MTV Networks as a writer and producer for a variety of shows.  She has also written for shows such as the new 90210 and the new Melrose Place.  Additionally, she boasts the title of screenwriter and novelist on her resume.

Caprice has written five books, including her newly published novel, Confessions of a Hater.  To celebrate the occasion, Caprice is visiting Chick Lit Central and we couldn't be more thrilled to have her here!

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

Thanks to Caprice, we have a copy of Confessions of a Hater for a lucky reader in the US!

Which song best describes your personality and why?
"Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. For one, because I do always carve my own path even when the future is uncertain. But also because it’s a breakup song and well…I have been known to choose poorly in the past.

What do you believe the greatest misconception people have about you?
A big misconception about me is that I came from a lot of money because my mom was an actress, but the truth is, the show she was on didn’t get residuals, so I was actually raised by a struggling single mother and I started working when I was 14 years old. That’s a misconception strangers have. Another might be that I’m totally confident. Which I’m certainly not. I have the same insecurities as everyone else and I second-guess myself all the time because I’m just as vulnerable as the next person. Also, if you were to go by my Twitter and Facebook feeds, you’d think I was an alcoholic, pizza-obsessed, insane person. And really, I’m not much of a drinker. (I’ll plead the fifth on the pizza and insanity.)

What does the term "badass" mean to you?
Badass to me means: you better not touch my fries or I will go apesh*t on you.

If I have to be serious: Hillary Clinton. Physically and politically. Staying with a cheating husband was less badass but nobody’s perfect.

My greatest adventure ever was:
That cart race at Whole Foods. Except it wasn’t a cart race it was just me. And nobody was racing against me because I kind of took a head-start. (And then tripped and landed face first in the produce aisle.) Or more recently I had an adventure that involved a trip to the ER when I thought I was dying of water toxicity. (I wasn't.) (But it happens, people, so no judging!)

Of all the things you've written, which of your works best reflects who you are as a person?
That's like asking a parent which of their children is the favorite. I think there's a piece of me in every one of my books. Stupid and Contagious was my first and I was waiting tables when I wrote it so there may have been a lot of “me” in that one. But the message that I want to get out there with Confessions of a Hater is certainly the most important to me. (And even though I made up the school in the book, I visualized my high school when I wrote it. And people who went to my high school will definitely recognize certain things.)

At what point in your career did you start calling yourself a writer?
It must have been when I was buying Ramen Noodles well into my 20s. I remember placing them on the conveyer belt and clearly thinking in that moment how fortunate I was to be able to take something that combined so much work and so much rejection and turn it into a full-time job!

Of all the characters you've developed (whether it was for a television show, film or novel), which three are your favorites and why?
Hailey from Confessions of a Hater because she’s a work in progress and she makes mistakes but she learns from them. And when she has the opportunity to be popular alongside bunch of jerks, she decides she’d rather be friends with the outcasts because they’re genuine and better human beings.

Heaven from Stupid and Contagious because she’s nuts but she’s got a good heart and she really does mean well. She’s honest and real and flawed and fun.

Jordan from Forget About It because I wrote that book for a friend of mine who could never stand up for herself. My friend passed away from cancer, tragically young, and I wanted to give her another chance. So, in the book, the character fakes amnesia to start over and totally reinvent herself. And she’s able to take some of the power back and live a different life. I couldn’t bring my friend back in real life so I brought her back in fiction form to give her a better ending.

Unlike your other novels, your recently published book, Confessions of a Hater is a Young Adult book. How did writing a YA novel differ from other things you've written in the past? Was it more difficult or easier and why?
It’s really not different because I spent so many years at MTV and I wrote for the new 90210, which took place in high school, so I’m very familiar with that territory. Also, I’m incredibly immature so that helps. Initially, the one thing I did worry about was language (swearing) but kids today certainly don’t worry about that, and I wanted it to feel real so...it definitely feels real.

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

How to win: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. If you have questions on how to use it, e-mail us.

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US only. Giveaway ends September 2nd at midnight EST.