Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Big congrats go out to Sherri from Chandler, Arizona-- she's won a signed copy of Alison Pace's CITY DOG! Sherri is the author of the blog Sherri's Thoughts and Ramblings. Sherri, shoot me an email or post a comment to this post-- you'll have to get us your address so that we may get you your prize!


Not a winner this time around? That's okay! Tomorrow, we'll be giving away a copy of Carleen Brice's ORANGE MINT AND HONEY. So, don't forget to check back here for a chance to win more books!

Free book Friday!

Yes, I know it's Monday, but I just had to write to let you know that my book is being featured on Free Book Friday!   It's a book giveaway site created by the wonderful author Jessica Brody.  Jessica and her peeps give lucky readers the chance to win free books every Friday!  How awesome is that?!

We'll be giving away five (yes, you read that correctly, FIVE!) signed copies of JACK WITH A TWIST!  And guess when the winner will be announced?  Um, yeah, well, Friday.  Which really makes sense, being free book Friday and all.  I hope you'll hop over to this fabulous website and enter to win!

Join me for tea!

If you're around this weekend in the New York area, I do hope you'll join me on Sunday for tea! It's a great event that I'm doing for the Transition Network: I'll be on a panel with fellow authors Ellen Meister, Saralee Rosenberg and Carol Hoenig, moderated by Book Columnist Debbi Honorof.

But most importantly, there will be pastries. So you really can't go wrong.

To buy a ticket, just click here. Hope to see you there!

Yes man

Have you heard the news? Well, the first bit of news is that they're doing a re-make of Footloose. And what's even more exciting than that is the fact that they've got Zac Efron all set to star!

Which brings me to the second bit of news. Seems Zac Efron's dropped out of the project. Perez Hilton's reporting that it's because he doesn't want to do another musical right now. (Or, for those High School Musical fans out there-- he doesn't want to do another muse-ick-ahl.)

Doesn't want to do another musical? Zac Efron's star is totally on the rise, thanks in large part to his star turns in High School Musical and Hairspray. So, what's this about not wanting to do another musical?

But it brings up another question: in your career, when is it a good idea to say 'no' to something? In my career, it's always served me well to always say yes. Even if I'm tired of something. Or don't have the time.

Two months before my wedding, my publisher asked me to write a short story featuring the protagonist from my two novels. Now, in the months before my wedding, the last thing I wanted to do was add more work to my plate, but I had a long talk with my agent and we agreed that when given an opportunity, no matter how inconvenient it may be, it's always a really good idea to say yes.

So, what do you think? Is it always a good idea to say yes? Are there times in your career when it's a good idea to actually say no?

More movie madness!

The other day we talked about movie adaptations and how sometimes the movie is just completely different than the book.

Well, more movie madness is being reported over on Galleycat. Apparently, bestselling author Clive Cussler sued the movie peeps responsible for the movie adaptation of his novel, Sahara.

He claimed that he wasn't allowed a final peek at the script, and that's the reason that the movie wasn't as uber-successful as it should have been. The studios countered and argued that Clive overstated the popularity of his book, and that's the reason that the movie tanked.


Well, the case is closed and Clive lost the lawsuit. Worse yet, he's now responsible for paying $13.9 million (yes, you read that correctly-- MILLION!) in legal fees to the production company he sued.

Now, I can't imagine actually suing anyone responsible for bringing my books to the silver screen. I'd like to think that I'd just be so, SO happy that I'd be too busy jumping up and down with glee that I couldn't possibly ever sue someone over my good fortune in selling book rights. But what if the studio butchered my poor little books? Would I feel any differently? (Or would I just be too busy counting my money?)

So, I ask you: who is responsible for the success of a movie? Is it the screenwriters, the movie studio, the actors? What's the role of the source material in all of this? If the original source material is popular, can that transcend critical pans? And most importantly, what role do Matthew McConaughey's biceps play in all of this?

Author interview and book giveaway: Alison Pace

Today we've got the lovely and talented Alison Pace here to answer some of our deepest darkest questions. Now you all know that I absolutely loved her latest, CITY DOG, and now, Alison is being kind enough to give a copy away to one lucky reader! To enter, just leave a comment below!

And now, on to the grilling!



Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.

City Dog is the story of Amy, an author in New York City who writes children's picture books about her dog. When her dog becomes much more famous than she is and one of her fictional characters begins to take on a life of his own, Amy's world takes a turn toward the surreal.

And I think that was more than twenty-five words.


When did you first begin writing?

I've always been writing. The first big project I remember was second grade, a short-story about how God created the world with a rubber band and bathtub faucet. Some weighty stuff.


Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Luckily for me, I find inspiration everywhere: my dog, Central Park, New York City, music (definitely music) conversations I have with friends, people who annoy me...for starters.


What are you working on right now?

I'm working on a collection of essays about life in New York with and without dogs. The tentative title is Write Your Own Happy Ending, but I'm not sure that's going to stick, even though I'm quite fond of it.


What are you reading right now?

I'm back and forth between Laurie Colwyn's Happy All the Time and David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife.


How do you fight writer’s block?

Writing is my job. I sit down and write. Granted, some days are going to be much, much better than others, but I still try my absolute best to stay the course.

If your book were to become a movie, who would you cast?

For City Dog, I'd cast Carlie as herself, obvs. For Amy, I think someone quirky, but cool, who could work with a little bit of darkness. Zooey Deschanel would be perfect. And Jason Bateman as Robert Maguire, no question.

[Editor’s note: Jason Bateman! Yum!]


What is your favorite part of writing? Least favorite?

My favorite part of writing is when I'm reading something over that I'm just thrilled to have written. It doesn't happen very frequently, but when it does, it's fantastic.

I think my least favorite, even though it shouldn't be, is when anonymous people write these downright awful reviews of my work on Amazon, etc. I know it shouldn't but those reviews completely ruin my day when I come across them. To that end, I'm a fan of positive reader reviews all the same.


What tips would you offer to aspiring writers?

Stick with it, stay the course. Believe in yourself.


Thanks so much to Alison for stopping by today! Want to win a free signed copy of Alison's book? Just leave a comment below and you're entered! Want extra entries? That can be arranged.... Blog about it for another entry. Become of follower of this blog for another entry, too.

The winner will be announced on March 31st.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Big congrats go out to Wrighty-- she's won a signed copy of Carolyn Jewel's MY WICKED ENEMY!


Not a winner this time around? That's okay! Next week, we'll be giving away a copy of Alison Pace's CITY DOG. So, don't forget to check back here for a chance to win more books!

The Mysteries of Filmmaking

I was so, so thrilled when I found out there was a trailer for the movie adaptation of Michael Chabon's Mysteries of Pittsburgh. I absolutely LOVED the book (and if you haven't read it yet-- get it on your reading list as soon as humanly possible!), and when I read the book, I remember wondering why a film version hadn't yet been made of this wonderful novel.

So, I dug into the trailer with glee, and was pleased to see that the movie seemed to have captured the tone of the book. However, as I continued watching the trailer, I noticed that something was missing. Something really important.

One of the main characters from the book had been dropped completely! Arthur Lemcote does not appear to be in the movie at all. His character is simply gone. Which is odd, since those of you who read the book know that he was a major character. Some aspects of his character (yes, I'm speaking in code, but I'm trying not to give any spoilers here!) seem to have been collapsed into Cleveland's character. Which doesn't make sense to me, given what I know about the character of Cleveland. I'm not sure how this is really going to work in the movie....

Are there any beloved books of yours that were changed when they were turned into films? Favorite characters left on the cutting room floor?

Tea for two

or four, as the case may be!  I'll be speaking at a "Meet the Authors" Afternoon Tea on Sunday, March 29th from 2pm until 4pm.   But it gets even better-- I'll be joined by fellow authors Ellen Meister, Saralee Rosenberg and Carol Hoenig, moderated by Book Columnist Debbi Honorof-- so, it's guaranteed to be a wonderful time!

The event takes place at the Hofstra University Club and costs $25 to attend.  To register, click here.

More details follow:

"Meet The Authors" Afternoon Tea

Long Island authors

Carol Hoenig

Brenda Janowitz

Ellen Meister

Saralee Rosenberg

will discuss how they use fiction to explore the

myths and realities of woman's lives.

Moderated by Debbi Honorof, Book Columnist, Long Island Woman

Come and enjoy luscious French and Italian pastries, fresh fruit selections and

specially selected international teas and coffees.

Sunday, March 29, 2-4 p.m.

Hofstra University Club

$20 TTN members/$25 non-members

Got a story to tell?

So, have you always wanted to write a book?  Do you have a story that's just dying to get out?  If so, print out some of those pages you've been playing around with and bring them to my writing workshop!

I'll be teaching at Mediabistro on Sunday, March 15th from 1pm until 5pm.  The workshop is a great forum to get pages of your novel read and critiqued, meet other writers, and network for the future.  We always have a total blast, and everyone who takes my workshops loves em!

For the deets and the application, click here.

I hope to see some of you there!

Christmas comes early!

And no, I'm not talking about all of the wonderful free books they are offering over at the Book Giveaway Carnival.

I'm talking about this fabulous tidbit that NY Mag posted about Ghostbusters. Could it really be true? Will Judd Apatow really produce Ghostbusters 3?

Be still our hearts....

The only thing I'd suggest is that they use a newer, more updated sound for the Ghostbusters theme song. Jack Black, take it away!

Let's go to the carnival!

Okay, no, there won't be any funnel cake, so before I go any further, I should probably warn you that this is a virtual carnival that I'm talking about.

But, it's even better than you can imagine! The wonderful news is: it's a Book Giveaway Carnival, hosted by the fabulous peeps over at bookroom reviews.com. So far, they've got over one hundred book giveaways posted (yes, over one hundred FREE BOOKS!!!). The lovely Drey from Drey's Library is giving away a copy of JACK WITH A TWIST, and there are tons of other great reads being offered, too.

I know that the readers of this blog LOVE free books as much as I do, so hop on over to this wonderful site and register to win as many free books as your heart desires! Just don't forget to enter my latest giveaway. :)

Who needs funnel cake when you can win free books?!

Be our guest!

Today I'm so thrilled to tell you that I'm the guest blogger over at Drey's Library!  I'm talking all about how I went from lawyer to novelist in three easy steps...  well, sort of!

To hear all about my progression from law to letters, go check it out!

GCC Author interview and giveaway: Carolyn Jewel

Hey girlfriends! Today we're fortunate enough to chat with a member of the fabulous Girlfriends Cyber Circuit: Carolyn Jewel. She's here to tell us all about her paranormal romances, inspiration for her writing and also, Jet Li....

And it just gets better from there-- she's also generously offered to give away a copy of her latest paranormal romance, MY WICKED ENEMY. Want to enter? Just leave a comment below. And now, on to the good stuff:

When did you first begin writing?

I suppose the pat answer is, ever since I can remember. I've always been making up stories. But I began writing seriously when I was 27 which was when it occured to me that my dream of writing a novel would never come true if I didn't start doing some actual writing.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Wherever I have to. As Jack London so famously said, You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. The inspiration I like best comes when I'm not looking for it. Those moments when my mind is occupied with other things; a great book, a movie, when I'm cooking or exercising. Alas panic seems to be a great inspirer for me. This makes me very sad as I would rather have the muse come down from on high and annoint me with sweet perfume and rose petals along with the answer to all my writing issues. But when I'm getting panicky about finishing and polishing something, I generally end up tuning out my editorial voice and inspiration kicks in. It's painful, but it works.

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I'm working on proposals for my next paranormal romances from Grand Central Publishing. Some people have classed them as Urban Fantasy, but they're marketed as paranormal romance. They're set in the present time and involve magic wielding humans who quite often aren't so nice and demons who are fighting for their survival. The first in the series was My Wicked Enemy, which came out in August of 2008. My Forbidden Desire will be out in June 2009.

How do you usually begin your stories—with a character or with a plot?

I am very much a character-driven writer. My stories develop from the characters and the plot depends on what they turn out to be like. Which means I throw away a lot of plot ideas as I write my characters. I have tried mightily and, I must say, in vain, to do more up front plotting.

It sounds so efficient! But it just doesn't work for me. All that happens when I do that is I waste time writing plots my characters refuse to fit in.

Do a quick character study on yourself: don't forget to add in the fun stuff, like favorite foods and things you love/hate!

I work as a Microsoft SQL Server database administrator, which means I am a geek with pretty much all that implies except for the pocket protector. My writing is the opposite of the kind of logical, technical knowledge required to support enterprise databases. I am detail oriented – to a fault, I'm afraid. I even drive myself crazy with that. I have an MA in English, which took me forever to get because I was working full time while I was in graduate school. The degree was one of the best things I ever did for myself and for my writing. The time management required for the combination of grad school, the day job, writing and parenting resulted in my learning to ignore things like neatness and to develop tunnel vision. I have to look at my monitor. Any glance to the side might result in the burning need to straighten up. Except in dire cases of writer's procrastination, I succeed in this.

I am organized, but you'd never know it from looking at my work space. My favorite food is chocolate (duh!). I used to be a coffee fiend and I often miss it but don't miss the cost. My now 13 year old son is two inches taller than I am and still growing. We love action movies and have been on a mission to see every move ever made by Jet Li and Jackie Chan. We have reached the point where there's not much we haven't seen by them. I know my martial arts movies. I am not-so-secretly in love with Jet Li. Swoon.

Thanks, Carolyn! Want to win a free copy of Carolyn's book? Just leave a comment below and you're entered! Want extra entries? That can be arranged.... Blog about it for another entry. Become of follower of this blog for another entry, too.

I'm so proud to tell you that this contest is part of the Book Giveaway Carnival which is being hosted by the fabulous Bookroom Reviews!

The winner will be announced on March 13th.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Big congrats go out to Bridget3420-- she's won a signed copy of Mindy Klasky's MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL!

Not a winner this time around? That's okay! Tomorrow, we'll be giving away a copy of Carolyn Jewel's MY WICKED ENEMY. So, don't forget to check back here for a chance to win more books!

And the winner is....

Taraji P. Henson! Okay, no, she didn't win an acting award at last night's Oscars, but she's my official pick for best dressed! Sure, Anne Hathaway was Audrey-Hepburn-lovely (and she sings! what a talent!), and Natalie Portman was picture perfect beautiful, but Taraji's dress truly took my breath away. The color, the fabric... everything about it was perfection for me. And the way she paired it with that red bag was just marvelous. Couple that with her fabulous hair and makeup and a necklace that could've come to the party by itself, and you've got a truly winning Oscar look!

She was also funny, adorable and charming on the Red Carpet. Just so sweet and bubbly in every interview she gave. Taraji, you are now officially my new favorite Hollywood starlet!

(Clearly she needs to acquire the film rights to SCOT and JACK and then star in both movies as the lovely and fabulous Vanessa....)


Now, you know I like to keep it positive on this blog, so I'm not going to mention anything about my pick for worst dressed. But, you know who you are. (And I never said anything about being nice in the comments section, so please feel free to tell us your catty opinions on worst dressed....)

Special mention goes out to Angelina Jolie's emeralds. Did you see that ring? Those earrings?! Talk about jewelry that could've come to the party by itself! Words cannot describe....

And special thanks to JustJared.com for the fabulous pics! There are lots more on his site, if you'd like to place your own vote for best dressed!

Would your dress like a complimentary beverage?

I'm guest blogging over at Travelogged today, a fun site about all things travel. I'll be talking about wedding dresses and why you might not want to shove yours into an overhead bin....

I hope you'll check it out!

I'm so lost...

Is it just me, or are you totally confused with what's happening on LOST? The producers keep saying that this season they'll be answering lots of our questions, but I feel like they just keep piling on new ones.

I still don't know where Walt is/ why the Others ever wanted him, what the numbers mean, why people call Hurley "Hugo," what the deal is with the four-toe statue, who Jacob is, why Jack's dead dad keeps walking around, and a whole host of other things that I'm probably not even thinking about right now.

Phew! That was a mouthful.

But on a lighter note, so far this season, Sawyer has spent considerable time with his shirt off. So I really shouldn't be complaining that much.

On a lighter lighter note, one of my favorite guilty pleasures is back-- THE MILLIONAIRE MATCHMAKER. And on the premiere episode, this guy is back! And Patti totally yells at him. It's classic.

So at least one show is answering the burning questions that are on viewers minds. You want to know whatever happened to the dude who proposed to a girl on the first date? Well, I hate to spoil it for you, but those two broke up already.

Shocker.

Valentine's Day interview and giveaway with Mindy Klasky!

It's almost Valentine's Day, so I thought that I'd give you all something sweet today! And sweet it is-- we've got author Mindy Klasky here to chat! And she's generously offered to give away a copy of her latest book, MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL. By now, you should know the drill: to enter, just leave a comment below!


Now, on to the good stuff:

1. Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.

In MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL, librarian-witch Jane Madison works a desperate spell to regain lost powers, turning her magical and personal lives upside down.

(Whew! That was harder than I thought it would be! And yes, "librarian-witch" IS one word. Why do you ask? And before I go any further, thank you, Brenda, for giving me the chance to chat here!)


2. What are you working on right now?

I'm hard at work on WHEN GOOD WISHES GO BAD, the second volume in the As You Wish series, about a wish-granting genie who always manages to complicate the lives of the people he's supposed to help. (The first volume in this new series, HOW NOT TO MAKE A WISH, will be in stores in October 2009.) I've drawn on my experience as a stage manager to tell these stories, which all take place in the emotion-charged world of small theater companies. GOOD WISHES involves guerilla gardening, true love, embezzlement, failed Valentines dreams, and the Peace Corps.


3. What is your favorite part of writing? Least favorite?

I love editing sections of my work that I've already written. I write a novel chapter by chapter, drafting about 5000 words at a time. When I finish my first draft, I read through it, making substantial changes (the skeleton stays the same, but the structure of every single sentence is twisted, tweaked, and turned on its head.) I love that stage -- playing with my own words. I often read bits out loud, looking for the rhythms of real speech, searching for the flow of true thought. (After the major edit of each chapter, I do another one or two read-throughs, for stylistic consistence, grammar, and spelling, but it's the first edit that I love most.)

My least favorite part of writing is creating first drafts. I find a million ways to distract myself before I settle in to write -- I answer interview questions (ahem!), I play online Boggle, I file my fingernails.... Once I get a hundred words on the screen, I can move forward without hesitation, but that first blank screen throws me every time.


4. How do you usually begin your stories -- with a character or with a plot?

I generally begin my stories with a character. I get to know her personality traits, the quirks that make her unique. Those traits often depend on the standard rules of her society, so I expand my knowledge of the story from character to world-building. (World-building, a staple of fantasy fiction, also applies to other genres. In MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL, for example, I create a realistic library with believable patron, um, challenges, to better illustrate my main character. Part of my goal as a writer is to make readers understand how actual libraries work.) Only after I know the general surroundings do I figure out the specific plot twists that will display that character best, that will lay out the structure of my world and all of its complications.

I outline my novels while I write, taking advantage of the software program Scrivener, to create files for each chapter. Generally, I stick with my character sketches and world-building close to 100% as I write, but my plot slips and slides, as I discover new ways to heighten the tension of the story (read: As I throw previously unplanned complications across my characters' paths!)

5. Do a quick character study on yourself: don't forget to add in the fun stuff, like favorite foods and things you love/hate!

I am a happily married (I met my husband on Match.com) full-time writer (after careers as a lawyer and a librarian) who is currently owned by two cats. While, as a kid, I wished that I had long, straight, blonde hair, I've learned to be satisfied with my shoulder- length dark brown waves. My eyes are an unremarkable brown, noteworthy only for the fact that I am legally blind (but my vision is corrected to 20/20 by contact lenses.)

I'm far more likely to be wearing jeans than a dress. While I might have remembered to put on a bit of blush and a dash of mascara this morning, I definitely forgot to add lipstick. On weekends, I sometimes stay in pajamas all day (adding slippers and a scarf in the winter -- I'm almost always cold.)

I am in love with most forms of cheese and nearly any hearty bread.
Not coincidentally, I am almost always counting points with Weight Watchers. (I can count to some shockingly high numbers...) I prefer dark chocolate to milk and tea to coffee. If tapioca were the only dessert on earth, I'd never eat dessert again. Mustard is the condiment of the devil.

My to-be-read pile is constantly threatening to collapse on top of me. Lately, I've been reading a lot of romance (I'm a judge for the Romance Writers of America RITA contest), and I'm learning about graphic novels. I wish that I had more time to keep up with mysteries and with literary fiction and with creative non-fiction, and, and, and....

I'm sure that I'm forgetting major character traits, but they'll reveal themselves as I continue to write the story of my life!

Brenda - thanks again for the chance to answer some questions! I'll keep an eye on comments and answer any more questions that people ask. (And I look forward to sending a signed copy of MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL to the one person that Brenda chooses, from everyone who posts in comments.) Happy Valentines Day!


Want to win a free copy of Mindy's book? Just leave a comment below and you're entered! Want extra entries? That can be arranged.... Blog about it for another entry. Become of follower of this blog for another entry, too.

The winner will be announced on February 26th.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Big congrats go out to Purplg8r from Windemere, Florida-- she's won a signed copy of WIFE GOES ON by Leslie Lehr!

Not a winner this time around? That's okay! Tomorrow, we'll be giving away a copy of Mindy Klasky's MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL. So, don't forget to check back here for a chance to win more books!

Are we getting meaner?

First it started with Stephen King, when he publicly said that Stephenie Meyer wasn't a very good writer.

Then I heard about Faye Dunaway attacking Hilary Duff, saying that she wished that they'd found a real actress to do the re-make of her classic film, Bonnie and Clyde.

And she's not the only one to have choice words for a younger entertainer taking on one of her classics:  Etta James had many, many nasty things to say about Beyonce and her performance of "At Last" at the Inauguration.

So, my question is:  are we all just getting meaner?  With the internet and the blogosphere, is it that we just feel able to say whatever is on our minds, no matter how potentially hurtful to the object of our scorn?  

Or is it that the ones being attacked are so high profile that they've opened themselves up to it?  Perhaps that's a little of what's going on here:  have the ones being bashed surpassed the bashers in each of their respective fields?

Still, if you don't have to face the person who you're bashing, is it easier to bash?  Would Stephen, Faye, or Etta been as free to rant if the subject of their hatred was standing right there in front of them?  As anyone who's ever been in a writer's workshop knows, it is incredibly hard to critique the work of a person sitting across the table from you.

So, Stephen, Faye and Etta:  can't we all just get along?!

Things I'm obsessed with this week....

Here are some links you'll love:

Ever wondered what would happen if Barack's life were an episode of The Hills? Newsweek figured it out for you.

I just have no words for this.

Yay, Lisa Loeb! How much do we love her?

And, in the I-can't-wait-for-this-weekend department, this movie preview is HIGH-larious!

Author Interview and Book Giveaway: Leslie Lehr

Today, we've got award-winning writer, Leslie Lehr, here to answer all of our deep dark questions!

Leslie has generously offered to give away one copy of her novel, WIFE GOES ON. To enter, just post a comment in the comment section below. But for now, let's get to the questions!

Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.
Wife Goes On is the story of four women who have nothing in common besides being in various stages of divorce who find this to be the basis of true friendship. After all, husbands may come and go, but friends are forever. The story has been described as a modern mix of First Wives Club and Sex and the City, with that combination of heartbreak and humor and fun.


When did you first begin writing?
I always wrote, had a silly poem published in a magazine during elementary school, but I never considered writing as a career. I was interested in TV and film and left Ohio for California to go to film school. After the hormones hit, when I proposed to my now ex-husband and had our first child, I realized that having it all was one thing; doing it all was quite another. The travel and long hours of film production weren’t conducive to motherhood – or creativity, for that matter. I kept pages in the drawer when I was on staff as the West Coast manager of a commercial and video production company, then when I went freelance to work on movies, I wrote between projects. Then I read a novel that was a hit and thought that I would have done that story differently, and better. So I gave myself the summer to try it before heading back to the film business, traded a neighbor for babysitting a few days a week, and gave it a shot.

How do you fight writer’s block?
My biggest challenge, as a single mom, is finding those uninterrupted hours to write, so I'm always excited to be writing. That said, when I sit down most days, I backtrack to get into the story mood. I can start in by doing research or working on a different part of the story or someone’s dialogue. Monday’s are almost completely a matter of getting back to where I was Friday. Between my kids and my boyfriend, I’ve given up working on the weekend, so that’s the price you pay to have a good life. ☺ But if I’m really stuck on the story and my outline isn’t giving me the enough direction for the scene, I found it’s waste of time to just sit there and force out bad stuff. If I can get around the guilt of playing hooky and go to the beach or the movies - anything but more family errands - I usually wake up in the middle of the night inspired.

If your book were to become a movie, whom would you cast?
Diane Lane as Diane, Viveca Fox as Annette, Gwyneth Paltrow as Lana and Jessica Simpson as Bonnie.

What is your favorite part of writing?
Being inspired when I least expect it, when my brain does the work for me or when my characters do things that surprise me - but it’s logical and heightens for the story.

What tips would you offer to aspiring writers?
Read!! And remember, you can never fail until you quit.

How do you usually begin your stories—with a character or with a plot?
A character who has a burning question. That drives the plot.


Do a quick character study on yourself: don’t forget to add in the fun stuff, like favorite foods and things you love/hate!
My favorite place, aside from the real ocean, is my office, which is periwinkle blue with a custom made antique white desk with giant files for my work and photographs of my daughters under the table top glass. I have an old couch covered with blue and pink rose fabrics and my French doors look out onto the pool. It’s small, but perfect, with my palm tree drawings and pictures of mermaids. I was a swimmer and grew up in Ohio, so being in California close to the beach is like heaven. And I start with coffee and lots of healthy stuff, but have to have Diet Pepsi and Popcorn to really work. I love frozen yogurt when I watch TV in bed at night. I wear white skirts in the summer and black in the winter and a few bright colors between. I hate Steven King saying that a writer has to write every day. He has someone to do his laundry and grocery shopping. Plus, thinking is even more important than the writing part. Writing is the fun part.

Lana says that when you wear a jacket, you immediately elevate yourself above the crowd. Is this advice that you follow?
Not to be above the crowd, that was Lana talking – she’s a performer. But jackets do add polish and look more professional, so I feel more confident wearing one and have more authority if I’m teaching or speaking. I love a black jacket over a silky blouse and nice jeans and heels. If there were more jackets out there that are good for everyday, I would get them. I actually love to dress up, in dresses since they are more comfy for me than pants, but it’s hard to find casual dresses after summer. To write, I usually I wear soft sweaters and stretchy pants. But my panties have to match or I can’t concentrate at all!


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The winner will be announced on February 11th.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Big congrats go out to stephanie@abooktoremember.net and Liane66-- they've both won a signed copy of MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga! Ladies, just shoot me an email at brenda@brendajanowitz.com and give me your address. We'll get the books out to you asap!

Not a winner this time around? That's okay! Tomorrow, we'll be giving away a copy of Leslie Lehr's WIFE GOES ON, and then in February, we'll be giving away Mindy Klasky's MAGIC AND THE MODERN GIRL. So, don't forget to check back here for a chance to win more books!

Reading is fundamental....

We caught this little cutie indulging in a guilty pleasure-- JACK WITH A TWIST! But let's not disturb her. Looks like she's getting to a good part!