Laura Chapman takes us back in time...plus a special giveaway

We're now entering November, which means another theme month. This time, we've decided to revisit our Nostalgia theme, but in a different way...'80s vs '90s! To help us kick off this theme is Laura Chapman, who is back at CLC to feature the latest novel in her "Queen of the League" series, Three and Out, and to tell us some of her favorite things from both decades.

Laura Chapman is the author of First & Goal, Going for Two, Three & Out, and The Marrying Type. Her holiday novellas Making Christmas and What Happens at Midnight will be released on November 8th, and are now available for pre-order. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Connect with her online on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube and on her website.

Laura is giving away a $10 Amazon card, an Audible version of The Marrying Type, and an Audible version of First & Goal. One prize to three separate winners.

Check out Sara's reviews of First and Goal and Going for Two

Synopsis (may contain spoilers for the first two books):
After rushing to the altar and moving across the country, Harper Duquaine (or is it MacLaughlin, now?) is in uncharted territory. What once seemed like a promising opportunity to advance her husband’s career while giving her some much needed independence and adventure has proven to be a bust. By the time fall rolls around again, she’s back in a boring job by day and overstocking her inventory of crocheted scarves by night. Not even the prospect of a new football season holds much excitement.

At least that’s what she thought. Harper suddenly finds herself the manager of not one but two fantasy football teams—each with its own set of drama. Between the added pressure of her new marriage, an unexpected career prospect, and the hiccups created by people from her past and present worlds, Harper quickly finds herself going from bored to overwhelmed.

Can she hold up under the pressure, or will Harper learn the hard way that the turf isn’t always greener on the other field?

Five Favorites from the '80s

This is a little tricky, because I was born in 1986, and I don’t have a bunch of memories from this era, but here goes…

1. Bon Jovi – Somewhere, my parents have video footage of me dancing around and singing a mash-up of Bon Jovi’s “Lay Your Hands on Me” and The New Kids on the Block’s “Hanging Tough.” I was three and am wearing a T-shirt and underwear, proving I had it going on before Britney Spears. (I incidentally worked Bon Jovi into FIRST & GOAL, book one in the Queen of the League series.)

2. The Bangles – The first mix tape I ever owned prominently featured “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Eternal Flame.” Remember, I was little, so my first tape player was a little bright red and yellow hand-held device. Very McDonald's-y now that I think about it.

3. Big Hair – I was too little to fully embrace this phenomenon, and that will forever be one of my greatest regrets. As someone with super straight hair, I always looked at women with big, teaser hair with a lot of envy.

4. Puff Sleeves – I’m talking Ariel’s wedding dress in “The Little Mermaid” puff sleeves. If I could bring back one trend from the 80s, and one trend alone, it would be these sleeves so I could rock this look.

5. Hot Wheels – I had a hot pink Hot Wheels tricycle deal, and to this date, it is still the sweetest ride I have ever owned. I liked it even more than the little hot pink Corvette my Barbie rolled around in. (Not that it was a competition, though I totally would have won.)


Five Favorites from the '90s

I was definitely a child of the '90s—from my love for trendy packaged snacks to the hours I spent staring at my post of Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

1. Gushers – To this day, I can’t think of a more delicious, and really quite disgusting snack, than a pack of Gushers. Preferably the blue ones with the green filling. My friends and I used to pretend we were eating bugs with Simba, Timon, and Pumba in “The Lion King,” with the signature, “Slimy, yet satisfying” line.

2. Surge – I think I would actually probably throw up if I ever tried to drink one of these now, but at the time, I thought drinking a greenish yellowish pop was one of the most sophisticated things a person could do. Surge was a staple at my childhood slumber parties and our top resource to keep us awake late at night.

3. Beanie Babies – Before everyone was trying to “Catch ‘em all” with Pokémon-Go, my friends and I were in a constant battle to collect as many beanie babies as we could. Bonus points if you found a limited edition variety at one of the few stores in town that sold them.

4. Jonathan Taylor Thomas – Whether he was playing Tom Sawyer in “Tom and Huck” or the middle child of Tim the Toolman Taylor, Jonathan Taylor Thomas had my heart in a tizzy for at least a full year or two in the '90s. Real heartthrobs have three names first names.

5. Husker football dominance – When I think of the 1990s, perhaps one of my favorite parts was the comfort of watching football on a Saturday and knowing my Nebraska Cornhuskers would win. It was only a matter of how many points. Incidentally, this might contribute to why I spent most of my 20s learning to be a gracious loser.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 


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Giveaway ends November 8th at midnight EST.