We Know Where to "Find" Hillary Carlip....plus a book giveaway

I've never participated in a scavenger hunt.. at least not that I can remember.  However, it seems like a fun thing to do.  Today's guest, Hillary Carlip, not only takes her readers on a scavenger hunt, but an interactive one at that.

In Hillary's latest novel, Find Me I'm Yours, readers not only read about Mags Marclay's scavenger hunt for soul mate, but they also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the story through a series of interactive media such as videos and links to websites. You can be one of these readers, as FSB Associates has one e-book to give away anywhere in the world!

Such a concept is not a stretch for Hillary who is not only an author, but also an artist who has been part of the visual, multimedia space since 1999.  Additionally, her artwork has been sold at prominent galleries in LA, NY and Chicago.

So please give a warm Chick Lit Central welcome to Hillary Carlip as she helps kick off Celebrity Month!

Learn more about Find Me I'm Yours at the website, Facebook, and Twitter. It was also featured on the Today Show website!

Check out the book trailer!


You are not only an accomplished writer, but also an accomplished artist as well. What do you get out of writing that you don't get from your other artist endeavor s?
While visual art is pretty much an expression of myself and my vision, with writing – especially fiction – I get to channel other voices, styles, and lives, and it’s exciting to delve into other realms. Also when creating art, I pretty much have to be in my studio or at my computer whereas with writing, I always step away from both. In fact I wrote Find Me I'm Yours in its entirety while “wriking” in Runyon Canyon, which is writing and hiking at the same time. (And I don’t know how, but I managed to never trip once!)

How does being both a writer and an artist complement one another?
I’ve pretty much made it so that in most of my books, my writing and artwork are included together and feed off of each other. My last book, A la Cart: The Secret Lives of Grocery Shoppers, which included shopping lists I had found along with photos of me as the 26 women and men who I imagined the lists belonged to, was ultimately included in a museum show that toured to five cities. In my new book, Find Me I'm Yours, not only is my artwork included in the book itself, but also in the 33 websites I designed and created that are totally woven into the story.

Where do you find inspiration for your books?
In overheard conversations, street art, random glimpses into strangers’ lives (i.e. through found shopping lists!), odd sightings (FIND ME I’M YOURS is filled with lots of Giant Things in Los Angeles – huge tikis, a car that’s a very large boot, etc.), and other people’s artwork and writing. When Mags, the main character in FMIY, is at an Indie Crafts Fair, she says: “I wandered, looking at everything, savoring everyone’s amazing expressions of creativity. I wanted to stock up on inspiration and hold onto it until I could infuse it into my own work, and then return the favor.” And that’s exactly how I feel.

Given the public nature of being a celebrity, to what extent do you feel fans have to right to know about a celebrity's private life? Is having no private life just the price of frame?
I think wanting to be a celebrity takes a certain kind of personality to begin with, one that knows what comes along with fame. But when there are true artists, just trying to do their work, and the most intimate parts of their lives are exposed because of that, well that just sucks.

If you could trade places with any celebrity, who would it be and why?
I really wouldn’t want to. As I just said, it takes a certain type of personality to want that and for me, I prefer that my WORK be in the spotlight!

How do you define the term "celebrity" and do you consider yourself one? Why or why not?
The term has gotten so out of hand in recent years. Now anyone can become a celebrity for simply being a housewife, making duck calls, or owning a pawn shop.

And I don’t consider myself to be one. I much prefer to be an instigator or inspirer – to entertain people, help them find their own creativity, or have them feel empowered in some way after experiencing my work. If that’s some kind of celebrity, then I’m happy to be a part of that!

Thanks to Anna for visiting with us and to FSB Associates for sharing the book with our readers!

~Introduction and interview by Tracey Meyers

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Worldwide. Giveaway ends November 10th at midnight EST