Why Do You Love CHICK LIT Contest - 2 MORE DAYS!

ChickLitGurrl™ and author Brenda Janowitz are asking you, "Why do you love Chick Lit?"

From October 1, 2008 to October 31, 2008, you have the opportunity to answer this question in 250 words or less! Be funny. Be heartfelt. Be creative. Be engaging. Take the question and develop a response that truly shows YOUR love for the genre.

On November 7,2008, ChickLitGurrl will announce the three best responses, and winners will receive an autographed copy of Brenda Janowitz's latest novel, JACK WITH A TWIST!

About JACK WITH A TWIST: Planning a wedding can be a trying experience…A little prewedding anxiety is normal for every bride, and Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller isn't worried. She's got the loving support of the world's greatest guy, so planning her nuptials should be a piece of cake.But that was yesterday.

Today, Brooke's landed her first big case and has just discovered that the opposing attorney is none other than her fiancé, Jack. But that's okay. These two professionals aren't going to let a little courtroom sparring get their legal briefs in a bunch.… Right? Wrong!

Now Jack's pulling every dirty trick in the law books, and Brooke's starting to suspect that maybe he isn't the man she thought he was. Warring with her fiancé at work and at home, Brooke realizes that she'll have to choose between the case of her life, or actually having a life.

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Contest submissions must be e-mailed to sdb6812@hotmail.com and be received no later than 11:59 p.m., October 31, 2008. Only ONE submission per participant.

Looking forward to reading why YOU love CHICK LIT!

SisterDivas Interviews Three Creative Women @ MEDIA

Over @ SisterDivas Magazine's MEDIA COLUMN, we feature three phenomenal women with mega talent!


This issue, SD talks writer, director, educator ANASTACIA TOLBERT who shares her passion for writing, her excitement of being a Cave Canem fellow, and her drive to showcase her documentary GOTBREAST?...among other things!



Through the magic of the Internet, SD's Shon Bacon reconnected with college classmate, photographer CHRISTY MARIE, and here, Shon talks with Christy about her various projects...GREAT PHOTOS within the interview!



SD Founder Tonya Howard sits with Italian songstress, ROMINA JOHNSON - who talks about her inspiration, her musical beginnings, and her latest CD Soul River!


Head to SISTERDIVAS now (at MEDIA) to check out our interviews!

SisterDivas Magazine - Where REAL Women Congregate![www.sisterdivasmagazine.net]

Why Do You Love CHICK LIT Contest - 7 MORE DAYS!

ChickLitGurrl™ and author Brenda Janowitz are asking you, "Why do you love Chick Lit?"

From October 1, 2008 to October 31, 2008, you have the opportunity to answer this question in 250 words or less! Be funny. Be heartfelt. Be creative. Be engaging. Take the question and develop a response that truly shows YOUR love for the genre.

On November 7,2008, ChickLitGurrl will announce the three best responses, and winners will receive an autographed copy of Brenda Janowitz's latest novel, JACK WITH A TWIST!

About JACK WITH A TWIST: Planning a wedding can be a trying experience…A little prewedding anxiety is normal for every bride, and Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller isn’t worried. She’s got the loving support of the world’s greatest guy, so planning her nuptials should be a piece of cake.But that was yesterday.

Today, Brooke’s landed her first big case and has just discovered that the opposing attorney is none other than her fiancé, Jack. But that’s okay. These two professionals aren’t going to let a little courtroom sparring get their legal briefs in a bunch. Right? Wrong!

Now Jack’s pulling every dirty trick in the law books, and Brooke’s starting to suspect that maybe he isn’t the man she thought he was. Warring with her fiancé at work and at home, Brooke realizes that she’ll have to choose between the case of her life, or actually having a life.

**********

Contest submissions must be e-mailed to sdb6812@hotmail. com and be received no later than 11:59 p.m., October 31, 2008. Only ONE submission per participant.

Looking forward to reading why YOU love CHICK LIT!

Check Out WomenPR Wire!

WomenPR Wire [http://www.womenpr.com] was created to help entrepreneurs and small business owners distribute their company news to women’s media, customers and prospects.

WomenPR Wire offers press release distribution to women focused newspapers, magazines, web based publications, and radio and television stations.

The company's database holds a comprehensive listing of women focused media outlets. It delivers its clients' press releases and electronic newsletters on a nationwide and international level.

Created by a self-published author, WomenPR Wire began as a do-it-yourself promotional service for self-published authors seeking to promote their literary work to perspective media outlets. Today the company has distributed press releases for clients from various industries.

Our services are designed to save our clients time and money while delivering results.

Check out WomenPR Wire [http://www.womenpr.com] today!

What's Up with ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING?

http://chicklitgurrl.blogspot.com



Shon Bacon, aka ChickLitGurrl, started the blog CHICKLITGURRL: high on LATTES & WRITING in 2005 to showcase the talents of women writers; she wanted to know what inspired them to write, she wanted to know the trials they faced to get published, and she wanted to know what they were doing to promote their published works. She also wanted to know the "other" side - how they managed writing in their busy lives, what they did outside of writing.

In those four years, Shon has interviewed over 60 writers, and in 2008 alone, she's interviewed nearly 30, to include Abiola Abrams, Diana Rodriguez Wallach, Jennifer Banash, Liane Bonin, Lisa Mondello, Lutishia Lovely, Marissa Monteilh, Niambi Davis, Paula Chase-Hyman, Shannon McKelden, Shelley Halima, Wendy Nelson Tokunaga, and Yasmin Coleman!

It's never to late to check out the interviews; in the right hand column, the interviews are located by YEAR.

For 2009, Shon plans to spotlight TWELVE AUTHORS, one every month. HOWEVER, she's only spotlighting indie authors - those who are self-publishing or those who are published through small, indie presses. Books have to be published AFTER July 1, 2008.

If you fit into those two categories, send her an e-mail at sdb6812@hotmail.com and provide her with the following info:

Book title:
Book genre:
Book description:
Publishing house (and url):
Publication date:

In the Spotlight with YA Author Diana Rodriguez Wallach

ChickLitGurrl Talks to young adult author Diana Rodriguez Wallach about her debut novel, AMOR AND SUMMER SECRETS!





INTERVIEW EXCERPT



CLG: YA is huge - there are so many books on the market that feature girls having to spend what's to be their best summer away from home in a different place. There are a slew of books about best friends, new friends, and love - how do you make your series UNIQUE? How does it stand out from the pack?


DRW: I didn’t set out to write a “fish out of water” story. My goal for Amor and Summer Secrets was to offer a modern-day look at the reality facing many American teenagers who are torn between two ethnic groups. It doesn’t matter whether your half Polish and half Puerto Rican, or half Filipino and half Russian, people can relate to what Mariana is feeling.



But in terms of uniqueness, the novel also brings to light many secrets that would have stayed hidden in Puerto Rico had Mariana not taken that trip. It opens Mariana’s eyes to a side of her family she didn’t know existed, and I think many teens can relate to being kept in the dark about unpleasant family histories. Trust me, I know. I was the youngest. I practically lived in a bubble.




CLG: Do you think the multiculturalism is an aspect that helps to illustrate the series uniqueness?


DRW: Absolutely. I think it’s becoming rare to find many American kids who are 100% affiliated with just one ethnic group. And I find that many people, including myself, connect more to the culture that they “physically” resemble.



For much of my life, I had a hard time connecting to my Puerto Rican roots because I didn’t fit the stereotype. My picture’s posted here, take a look. Would you look at me and think “Puerto Rican”? But as I grew older, I chose to seek out those connections. I studied Spanish in school, took a semester abroad in Madrid, and visited my family in Utuado.



So I purposely sent Mariana on a journey that it took me much longer to take. After all, Mariana’s a smart cookie, I knew she could handle it.

Check out the rest of Diana Rodriguez Wallach's interview @ ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING!

ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING
Chocolate-caramel lattes + Women writers = ONE GREAT TIME!
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Check out my QUICKIE EDITING TIPS @ Blogging in Black!

Come check me out at BLOGGING IN BLACK [LINK] today where I'm sharing QUICKIE EDITING TIPS!

If you have some of your own, share them with the other readers.

See you there!

Shon


Blogging in Black


[http://www.blogginginblack.com]

Brenda Janowitz, Chick Lit, and You: The Contest

ChickLitGurrl™ and author Brenda Janowitz are asking you, "Why do you love Chick Lit?"



From October 1, 2008 to October 31, 2008, you have the opportunity to answer this question in 250 words or less! Be funny. Be heartfelt. Be creative. Be engaging. Take the question and develop a response that truly shows YOUR love for the genre.



On November 7,2008, ChickLitGurrl will announce the three best responses, and winners will receive an autographed copy of Brenda Janowitz's latest novel, JACK WITH A TWIST!






Contest submissions must be e-mailed to sdb6812@hotmail.com and be received no later than 11:59 p.m., October 31, 2008. Only ONE submission per participant.




Looking forward to reading why YOU love CHICK LIT!

ChickLitGurrl Talks with YA Author Paula Chase

ChickLitGurrl Talks to young adult author Paula Chase-Hyman about her latest Del Rio Bay novel, THAT'S WHAT'S UP!





INTERVIEW EXCERPT
CLG: What themes, topics will readers find within the pages of THAT'S WHAT'S UP?
PCH: That’s What’s Up! is all about frenemy’s, forbidden relationships and making choices about who we call friend.

CLG: What are THREE adjectives that best describe YOU?
PCH: Passionate, focused, driven

CLG: INSIDE YOUR MP3: What THREE TRACKS are you loving right now and why?
PCH: Ooh tough because when it comes to faves it’s all about my mood. But the three songs I love right now, this very moment are:

Whatever You Like by T.I. – I love this jam. It’s the softer side of T.I. but still with his southern edge. I can’t listen to it without moving. It’s infectious like that.

Burnin’ Up by Jonas Brothers – Overall, I’m not loving the group and don’t entirely get the craze. But I have a 14-year-old and a four-year-old and they both love these guys. Burnin’ Up was the only track I heard and liked immediately. The guys tend to over-sing but it’s the cheesiness in the over-singing of this song that I adore. It’s what old folks would say is a catchy little ditty. LOL

Here I Stand by Usher – It’s the new and grown Usher and it’s nice. I don’t think this CD is getting the attention it deserves simply because Usher’s music has changed since he got married and became a father. But I hope he hangs in there and doesn’t do the R. Kelly thing – which is try to sing younger than he is. You can’t be 25 forever!

Now I feel bad because I didn’t give any of the female artists love. So I can sneak in a fourth and say I really like Mariah Carey’s I’ll Be Loving You Long Time? It samples an old Debarge jam, so I loved it as soon as I heard it, for that alone.

To learn more about Paula and THAT'S WHAT'S UP!, head over to CHICKLITGURRL: high on LATTES & WRITING!


ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITINGChocolate-caramel lattes + Women writers = ONE GREAT TIME![chicklitgurrl.blogspot.com]


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Book Review: I Must Be in Heaven...A Promise Kept

The world today is so cluttered with tragedy - one tragedy being the death of marriages...of long,enduring forever love.

And then I read Valerie Anne Faulkner's true inspirational love story, "I Must Be in Heaven...A Promise Kept" and realized that in certain corners of the world, real love exists - the kind that's built on faith and commitment and that lasts through life's tragedies.

What I loved the most about Faulkner's story is her connection to her faith; it's so easy to have a tragedy befall you and you not be able to withstand it because your faith is being tested. Faulkner, with her faith and her love for her husband, was able to make it through a dark and scary journey. She was able to endure of heartache of her husband's medical trauma and persevere despite it. I also enjoyed Faulkner's down-to-earth tone. I could hear her voice through every story, every experience. I felt connected with her and her family as they connected and plowed through life's circumstances.

Faulkner's story, as I think all inspirational stories should do, made me reflect on my life, appreciate what I have, and rededicate myself to keeping God in my life and keeping my faith strong so that I can withstand the obstacles that I know I will face.

Click the cover to purchase your copy of I Must Be in Heaven...A Promise Kept today!

Book Review: An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken

It's easy to write a book about a baby's death; the minute we hear or read "a baby's death," the subject matter alone will evoke the stock emotions we know that come from something so traumatic - heartache, despair, tears, senselessness, depression...the list goes on infinitely.

What's not easy is writing that story in a way that gets at the heart of the true emotions beneath the ones we so easily rely on. What Elizabeth McCracken does so wonderfully in her memoir "An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination" is unflinchingly real and will break your heart and make you hope all in one breath. It's not just the painful story of her baby's death; it's also the true, minute details of thought, of feeling, of reaction that most people don't talk about. It's not just the painful story of her baby's death; it's also the story of moving on yet holding on, of loving but learning to let go, of learning to accept the new beautiful things in your life (like the birth of a beautiful baby boy) while learning the ongoing process of forgiveness. It is the epitome of how LIFE GOES ON and how we should never forget what we've lost but embrace it, accept it, and take pockets of it for good memories to help us when the sadness and heartache invades.

Click cover to learn more about McCracken's memoir and to order your copy today.