*hey there, it's christa*

Girly Blog Hop: The Sequel (And Yes, There's Even More Fabulous Prizes, So Check it Out!)

Love books? How about Starbucks coffee? And better yet, what if you could score both for free? Now we're talking, right?

Yes, thanks to the illustrious author Libby Mercer the time has come for Girly Blog Hop, the sequel. Now that you've been formally invited, you should know that we're talking location, location, location this time around.

Basically, whether it's the beach, a chateau in France or the local junkyard, we're commenting on how a strong sense of place greatly enhances your favorite novels.

So here's the deal, the blog hop begins tomorrow, January 17th, so be sure to check back here for a list of the blogs you're going to want to visit. Not only will there be loads of clever prose concerning all things location, but you'll get instructions on how you can qualify for the ultimate girly reader prize pack that includes books galore, gift cards from Starbucks and Amazon and much, much more.

So while I've got your attention, start brainstorming what your answer will be for the following question: What's your favorite "place" you've ever traveled to—no passport required—in a novel and why?

Include your answer in the comments section of my post tomorrow, and you'll be eligible for another drawing for a copy of one of my novels (e-book or paperback, you decide) and a $20.00 Starbucks gift card. 

Q&A With Tiffany Romigh, Author of "Elasticity"

One of the common misconceptions about the chick lit genre is that it's all shoes, designer purses and flighty twenty-somethings who have the whole career thing down but can't land the man of their dreams.

And while those elements have made their way into countless movies starring Katherine Heigl, there are countless authors who've added a little thematic heft to the genre. Case in point: Tiffany Romigh, whose new book, Elasticity just released. The story of three woman who vow to kick their addictions before their upcoming class reunion, Elasticity is not only fun and readable but leaves readers with a little food for thought, too.

So now, with no further adieu, here's a little about Tiffany in Q&A format...

First off, tell me a little about your journey as a writer. When did you know what writing wasn't going to be just a hobby but something you'd pursue seriously?

The journey, I think, can be a funny one, because there are all these little hints along the way that it’s going to be what you end up doing, but until you give it time to gel, you don’t really know. For example, I wrote stories as a child because the paper made me feel like it liked what I had to say. As my first real career as an adult, I was an advertising copywriter, because I liked to write taglines – but I still didn’t really “get it” that maybe there was something more that I could do with it.

Then suddenly, one night, I was staying in a hotel and a sentence kept running through my head. It turned out to be the beginning of a novel. And then it started.

What was the first book—or the first author—that really impressed and inspired you?

I went to a great school, especially Upper School, and our teachers really pushed books - I mean really pushed them. We read all the classics, of course, but then also had courses like “Literature of the Dispossessed” and classes where we read modern literature like Douglas Coupland’s Generation X… Very different points of view that really shaped what would become our reading lists. So it started early. I also remember reading Where the Red Fern Grows as a child and crying – so hard that I was embarrassed to go out in the yard and play badminton with my brother because it was so obvious.

But… after reading Melissa Bank’s The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing, I felt like I’d found a home. It made me feel comfortable enough to put the words down the way I wanted to.

Talking Elasticity, I think we all feel pressure to reveal our best selves at our 10-year reunion, whether we were the jock, the nerd, the homecoming queen. What made you want to write about this journey and what can we learn from these characters?

I believe that we all do feel that pressure – in different ways and on different days, but it’s always there in one way or another. And I think the idea that we’d all love to go back and “show ‘em” that we’ve changed and that we’re not who they thought we were is pretty universal. But in the end, what it comes down to, and what I hope you learn from these characters is that these people from our past often aren’t really even our villains. Our villains are our negative perceptions of ourselves. Once we get out of our own way we’re pretty a-ok.

For someone who's not familiar with your writing, how would you describe it?

I hope it sounds like a personal, familiar, internal voice.

How long did it take to write Elasticity and how did you connect with your publisher?

I write pretty quickly, probably because in advertising you have to if you want to keep your job. I work on a regular 8-to-5 writing schedule, so it took me about two months to finish the major portion of the manuscript, and then another couple through editing and rewrites to get it finished. But from the time that I connected with my lit agent who sold the book, Diane Nine, to the point when it came out was another year. It can be a Sisyphean struggle going from start to finish, so I think you have to try to enjoy all the points of the process to get through it.

Tell us a little about what inspired the title. Also was the story inspired by your own life at all since we all tend to "write what we know?"

You know, finding moderation is hard. We bounce back and forth between extremes trying to find the middle, push and pull, expand and contract, all the while trying to find the things that will make us happy. We buy the car, then we run out of money and have to sell the car. We gain weight, then we do whatever we can to lose the weight - each of us has our version. But ultimately, with too many of these expansions and contractions, if we don't find our center, we'll never be happy.

The title directly relates to this and to a passage in the book about the character WHITNEY, a compulsive eater, and her love/hate relationship with her black sweatpants. After losing everything important to her she goes on a terrible binge and reaches for those sweatpants, but the waistband has had enough. It has no more elasticity and snaps.

With regard to my own life, there are lots of things in each of these characters that are inspired by my own life – not their specific afflictions, per se, but many elements both positive and negative – and there are lots of things about each of them that aren’t like me but that I admire very much.

What are you reading at the moment?

Well, I just finished Ashley Prentice Norton’s The Chocolate Money, which I loved, and now I’m knee deep in Gigi Levangie Grazer’s The After Wife. Thank goodness for digital books, because they’re so much more compact!

Where can people connect with you online?

Try me at www.TiffanyRomigh.com, or on Twitter @TiffanyRomigh, and I have a Facebook page as well – I’m not so fabulous with the social media, but I’m learning, so bear with me.

What are some of your all-time favorite books and why should someone add yours to their collection immediately?

Here are the ones I can’t be without: The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing, The Last Single Girl in the World, The Starter Wife, The Importance of Being Earnest, The World According to Garp, Less than Zero… There are so many that I’m leaving out.

As for Elasticity, I think you’ll get a chance to take a journey with three characters that feel both familiar and also outsized in many ways and you’ll come out rooting for them, and by default, for yourself, too.

When you're not writing, what's your favorite way to kick back?

I take a LOT of walks. Window shop. Talk to my family. Love to cook and try new restaurants. And, if you were to look at the mileage on any car I’ve ever owned, I drive around and explore, with no destination or ending in sight. 

Bridget Jones, Part 3? Yes, Please.

Like everything else in pop culture, trends inevitably come and go. But while a slew of publishers labeled "chick lit" dead long, long ago, there's obviously still a market for books geared toward the fairer sex. Maybe they'll just involve less designer shoes.

After all, I doubt very much that it's men buying all those copies of 50 Shades of Grey—and, no I didn't read the book. From what I've heard, the writing is pretty deplorable, and I just don't have patience for that.

But what I did enjoy reading back in the '90s was Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones Diary, which basically kickstarted chick lit into the stratosphere. After a long day's work, there's nothing better than a funny book with a happy ending, and there were so many excellent offerings in this genre. And I have to say as ridiculous as Bridget is at times, I would love having a friend like her. Let's just say that getting together for a caramel macchiato would never be dull.

So as you can imagine, I was pretty thrilled to read this article about a third chapter of Bridget on the horizon. As dorky as it sounds, I'd love to know what she's been up to and if things really did end up working out with Mark Darcy. Plus, if there's a third book, there's likely to be a third movie, and who wouldn't relish the opportunity to see Colin Firth and Hugh Grant back together on the big screen?

Sorry, but being virtually unrecognizable in Cloud Atlas doesn't cut it for me, Mr. Grant, it's time to unleash the funny again. And please choose a better co-star than Sarah Jessica Parker next time around. That way, we can both pretend that Did You Hear About the Morgans? never happened.

Readin' For a Cause

Now that the election is a finally a wrap (yay, no more ads that involve the words "I'm blah, blah, blah, and I approve this message") and I've finally got around to blogging again (let's just say I was the picture of slackerdom in October), I wanted to tell you about a really cool project a friend of mine has just released.

Basically, it's great reading for a great cause.

Kevin D. Hendricks, a fellow writer and Minnesotan who didn't bail like I did, wrote a very funny kid's book titled The Stephanies with his daughter, Lexi.

Describing it as "a goofy little children's book about two girls who have the same name and constantly square off," it's pretty much the perfect gift for any little readers in your life.

And just to sweeten the deal even more, he's sharing half of the profits from Two Stephanies with First Book, an organization that gives kids in need access to books. Now who doesn't love that?

For more information on the book and a video of Kevin's daughter, the co-author of Two Stephanies, reading, be sure to check out http://www.kevindhendricks.com/books/stephanies/.

Just Hangin' Out With Julia (Child, That Is) For Two Months Straight...

Usually I plow through whatever I'm reading, especially if it's something I'm really enjoying, at breakneck pace.

But for whatever reason, when it came to the remarkable Julia Child biography by Bob Spitz called Dearie, which just happens to weigh in at a whomping 534 pages, I took my sweet, sweet time—two months, in fact.

I read it while waiting in the reception area at the dentist's office. I read it before I dozed off to sleep every night. I even read it during those rare free moments when I wasn't up against a deadline while sipping my first pumpkin spice lattes (I'm sure Julia would've approved) of the season.

And given that Spitz is such a terrific writer and Julia such a fascinating, lovable subject, well, it was the sort of reading experience you never wanted to end. In short, Dearie was easily one of my favorite books this year, and perhaps, one of the best biographies I've ever read, hands down.

In a world where everyone's so eager to conform, it's downright refreshing to read about a woman who really did things "her way" (cue the famed Frank Sinatra song). Not only did she live out her life's passion to the ripe ol' age of 92, but her illustrious career in French cooking didn't even begin until she was in her 40s. Yes, I was reminded once again that life's grandest chapters aren't limited to what happens before you're 30, and that it's never, ever too late to try something totally new. 

In addition to hearing about her love of French food and cooking in greater depth, the reader also gets a front-row seat into her long, loving marriage with Paul Child, her various travels before—and after—she became a household name since she moved around frequently when doing government work and the details of her comfortable surburban upbringing that ultimately made her hungry to pursue something a little more left of center with her life.

And unlike many biographies where the author is clearly so infatuated with his/her subject that we don't have an opportunity to learn about their flaws as well as their triumphs, Dearie is a warts-and-all look at Julia. Like most people, she was complicated and not always the strong, self-assured and approachable presence she was on TV.  Plus, I discovered she doesn't even (gasp!) like Italian food, so that's something we would've majorly disagreed on (ha ha!).

All in all, it was a joy just hangin' out with Julia for two straight months. I could practically hear the trill of her oh-so-unique voice as we walked through her colorful life. And in the same way I couldn't stop thinking of Paris after reading Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, I'm already pining for a return trip to the Paris that Julia loved so much—if anything, just to eat sole meuniere again, the rich, buttery masterpiece that forever changed the course of her life.

And the Winner Is (Cue the Applause)...

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog last week for the Girly Book Blog Hop. Now as promised, we've got some prizes to give away, so with no further adieu...

The lucky winner of the e-book of her choice (plus a copy of one of my novels) in our random drawing is Marie who said Captain Renault from Casablanca was her favorite secondary character.

As a fan of Casablanca myself (and really, who isn't, it's such a great film), I thought that was a rather inspired choice.

So three cheers for Maria, and for everyone else who commented, be sure to stay tuned for more contests in the not-too-distant future. :)

The Girly Book Blog Hop: A Salute to Sensational Secondary Characters

As promised, I'm dedicating today's post to the sensational secondary characters, those unsung literary heroes that make the novel you're reading all the more captivating.

As long as I've been reading, I've loved the minor characters. Sure, the protagonist may get most of the glory, but seriously, what would Judy Blume's Superfudge have been without a cameo or two from Sheila Tubman? How much fun would Pride and Prejudice have been without the occasional appearance from a narcissistic nincompoop like Mr. Collins? Who would've made Bridget Jones even more paranoid about men if Shazza didn't feed into her fears with plenty of four-letter words every once in a while?

These characters totally made these stories sing, which is why I made sure to give careful thought to my own supporting cast in Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers. Without Sydney's hippie-dippie friend Rain, her boyfriend affectionately known as Stinky Nate and her fabulous sister Sam, the story would've just been about a writer who travels a lot. In a word: B-O-R-I-N-G!

Now here's where you come in. Who's your favorite sensational secondary character and why? Leave a comment here, and you may be the winner of a very cool prize...namely, the e-book of your choice along with a copy of one of my books...the real thing or an e-copy. And if you want a shot at even more prizes, be sure to check out the blogs from all the illustrious writers below. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

The Girly Book Blog Hop: Where Secondary Characters Finally Get Their Due (And Yes, Fabulous Prizes Are Involved)

Ever read a novel where a sensational secondary character totally stole your heart?

Well, that's exactly who we're going to be celebrating, those illustrious supporting acts, in the upcoming Girly Book Blog Hop, the brainchild of Libby Mercer, the author of Fashioning a Romance, which released this past May.

So how can you be a part of the fun? Well, I'm so glad you asked.

Basically, one week from today on September 27, I'm going to be posting about my favorite supporting characters right here. After you've read my post, leave a comment about who your favorite secondary character is—and why—and you'll be entered into a drawing for a free e-book of your choice, along with a copy of one of my novels, Around the World in 80 Dates or Blessed Are the Meddlers.

I'll also have links to all the other stops on the blog tour, too, so you could potentially walk away with quite a bit of loot since everyone participating is giving something cool away. :)

Q&A With Tracie Banister, Author of "In Need of Therapy" and "Blame it On the Fame"

Let's face it: Most of the time, Twitter is a pretty mixed bag. In fact, sometimes I find myself wondering how in the world [insert super random person here] ever found me in the first place.

And yes, I know I could ask, but...

But every once in a while in the wild and crazy world of social networking, you actually meet a kindred spirit who not only loves to write as much as you do, but just happens to have the same last name—one "n" and all.

And since we Banisters need to stick together, I wanted to make sure you knew about her fantastic new book, In Need of Therapy, not to mention her theory on why Scarlett O'Hara had such a crush on drippy ol' Ashley (yes, we both are big fans of Gone With the Wind), what's been vying for the precious space on her DVR and why you should download her novel—pronto.

Hello fellow namesake, thanks for stopping by my blog. Although I've only been a Banister for just shy of seven years now, I just have to ask. How many times in an average week does someone try to sneak another "n" in your name?
 
LOL. At least twice a week! And if someone's not misspelling my last name, they're spelling Tracie with a "-y" or an "-ey." My parents had no idea they were giving me such a difficult name!

Besides our last names, we have something else in common. A mutual admiration for Gone With the Wind. How many times (you know, estimate if need be) have you watched the saga of Scarlett, Rhett and the South? And what's your theory on why Scarlett liked drippy ol' Ashley so much anyway? As many times as I've watched, I will never, ever understand the attraction.
 
Let me pull out a calculator here.  If I've been watching GWTW once or twice a year since I was 11... I'd guesstimate that I've seen the movie 30 times (this includes viewings on TV, DVD,and a few showings at a movie theater). And yes, I can quote lines from the movie and do so often, my favorite being some variation on Prissy's, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies, Miz Scarlett!"
 
I just released a book where the heroine is a psychologist, so let me channel Pilar for a moment here.  I think Scarlett's initial attraction to Ashley was just a simple case of opposites attracting.  She was young, high-spirited and extroverted while he was a more mature, soft-spoken, cerebral gentleman. Plus, he was a challenge. Scarlett had all the men of marriageable age in the area trying to woo and win her while Ashley remained somewhat aloof and out of her reach.  Most women would have grown out of an adolescent crush like the one Scarlett had on Ashley, but the war happened and the way of life that Scarlett loved and idealized was lost forever.  So, I think her continued pursuit of Ashley throughout the rest of the book/movie was Scarlett's attempt to recapture all that she cherished about her childhood.  She never loved Ashley, the man; she loved what he represented.

Speaking of GWTW, would you ever consider, say, modernizing it in your sassy chick lit fashion?
 
Well, I hadn't thought of it before, but now that you've put that bee in my bonnet, who knows?  It might be fun to try to reenvision GWTW as a modern-day Chick Lit story!

Switching gears, what's the last novel you read that really rocked your world and why? And while we're at it, why will In Need of Therapy rock someone's world?

I've been on a reading hiatus for the last five months while I focused on releasing and promoting Blame It on the Fame and In Need of Therapy. But if I reach back to early spring, the book that really bowled me over at that time was Entwined by Heather Dixon. Yes, I know. A YA/Fantasy novel doesn't sound like something a Chick Lit writer would be reading in her off-time, but I do like to check out other genres on occasion and Entwined caught my eye because I love fairy tales and this book ended up being a very clever and fantastic retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.  Entwined made me laugh and cry, which is quite a feat for any book! I was really moved and entertained by it. I can't wait to see what Heather Dixon releases next!  

As for why In Need of Therapy will rock someone's world, I hope that readers will appreciate the humor in the novel (Between her patients and her very crazy, over-the-top Cuban family, Pilar Alvarez has a lot of wackiness in her life!) and that they'll enjoy trying to figure out, along with Pilar, who her Mr. Right is. I've been told by people who've read In Need of Therapy that there are some surprises and plot twists towards the end of the book that they did not see coming!

I like that you gave your protagonist a job we don't often read about in novels. What inspired your female psychologist protagonist and what can readers take away from In Need of Therapy?

Thanks! I owe credit to my mother for suggesting that I write a "funny book about a female psychologist." It was a great idea because I've always been fascinated by psychology. I took Psych courses in school and even toyed with the idea of becoming a therapist myself, so writing for someone in that profession came naturally and I enjoyed playing up the comedic aspect of it.
 
I hope that readers will take away a couple of things from In Need of Therapy. One, be true to yourself. Don't let other people, even if they're well-meaning, put pressure on you. Only you know what's best for you. Two, being compassionate is a good thing, but don't let your kindness blind you to other people's faults and don't let them take advantage of you.

How long did it take to write In Need of Therapy and how was the process different from writing Blame It on the Fame?

I actually wrote In Need of Therapy before Blame It on the Fame, and they were two very different experiences. Blame was a very complex book with five interweaving stories and multiple heroines, so it took me 2 years to finish. Therapy had its challenges, too, as I'd never written a book with a first-person narrative before, but I was able to complete that novel in seven months.  I should, also, point out that I was running my own business while writing Blame, so my writing time was limited (only a few days a week) and that lengthened the process considerably. With Therapy, I was able to focus on my writing full-time, which is why I was able to finish the story relatively fast.

What's next in your writing pipeline?
 
Up until a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure which of my many WIPs I was going to focus on next, but then the inspiration fairy started divebombing my house with all sorts of new ideas for a Chick Lit novel that I started writing as a short story last year. I don't want to say too much about this book just yet, but I think it's going to be a really fun one. So, keep an eye out for it 2013! :)
 
When you're not putting the proverbial pen to paper, what's your favorite way to kick back?
 
Exercise is a great stress reliever for me and spending time on the treadmill and mini-stepper every day gives me a chance to catch up on all those TV shows I like to record (see my answer to your next question!)  I, also, like hanging out with my three adorable rescue dogs. They love play time and belly rubs!
 
If you would, tell us what TV shows are dominating your DVR during these summer months, and what are you looking forward to watching this fall?
 
I am a self-confessed TV addict, so I have a pretty impressive rotation of shows on my DVR year-round.  This summer, it's been True Blood, Suits, Teen Wolf, Melissa & Joey, Top Chef Masters, Project Runway, White Collar, Covert Affairs, Lost Girl, Alphas, and Warehouse 13. This fall, the top five shows I'm probably looking most forward to seeing back on my TV screen are:  Dancing With the Stars, Revenge, Hart of Dixie, Castle, and The Big Bang Theory. The one new show I can't wait to check out is Elementary, CBS's take on Sherlock with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as his Dr. Watson.  Should be fun!
 
Ok, last question. Where can people connect with you online? Are there sample chapters of your novels available to check out?
 
I have a blog and I'm very active on Twitter and Facebook.  If you love books, TV, dogs or all of the above, please follow or Friend me! I always enjoy connecting with readers and other authors. And yes, you can sample several chapters of my books, In Need of Therapy and Blame It on the Fame, either online or on your e-reader at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

It's a Wrap: Two Thoroughly Unique Reading Experiences

I've been on a bit of a reading tear lately, and I just finished two memoirs that really couldn't be more different.

Since I knew the basics of the story, and they were downright terrifying to say the least, I actually hadn't planned on reading Jaycee Dugard's rip-your-heart-out account of being kidnapped at 11 and held in captivity as a sex slave for another 18 (!!!) years in A Stolen Life.

If anything, I'd probably just skip to the end just to see how she was finally rescued from such a horrific ordeal and recovering now that she was free.

But once I sped through the first few pages at the local Barnes & Noble, I simply couldn't put it down. As difficult to read as you've probably imagined, and then some, Jaycee didn't even bother with flowery adjectives to tell her story.

Stripped bare of any pretense, her sentences get straight to the point and pack a major wallop, and I found myself brushing away tears on several occasions. Whether she was recounting the loss of innocence at the hands of a truly sick man, re-living the utter terror of giving birth twice in her early teens in virtual isolation or sharing how she managed to stay strong when hope didn't seem anywhere in sight, it couldn't help but break your heart.

As a result, you couldn't help feeling a flurry of emotions with every turned page—anger at the justice system for not discovering what her kidnapper was up to earlier (he was on probation, after all, and officers made regular visits to his home), utter sadness for her Mom who had no idea what happened to her sweet daughter, and naturally, an incomparable jolt of elation when her captors made the big mistake that eventually paved the way for Jaycee and her young daughters' freedom.

There's not many books that stick with you for days after you finish reading, but I couldn't help thinking of Jaycee and her story long after I finished that last page. Her bravery really moved me, and I hope this new chapter in her life is nothing short of wonderful. If anyone deserves that, it's her...and her daughters.

After that, I knew I wasn't ready for another heavy storyline, so I picked up Apron Anxiety, a memoir I've been reading all sorts of good things about by Alyssa Shelasky. Since I'm always a sucker for a story where a woman eventually finds her inner cooking goddess, I thought it would be right up my alley.

Unfortunately, most of it left me feeling rather sour.

While Ms. Shelasky is a skilled storyteller, and I'd definitely want to try some of the recipes she includes in the book, my response to Apron Anxiety was about on par with how I felt about Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love.

Like Eat Pray Love, there was a pervasive narcissism about the leading lady in Apron Anxiety that was very off-putting. And when the protagonist devotes so much of her prose to telling you just how fabulous she is, it's pretty hard to empathize with her when "the going gets tough" on the road to self-discovery.

So when Alyssa ditches her job at People and leaves NYC to follow a man she barely knows to Washington D.C. and repeatedly whines about how much he works (he is a chef on the rise and a Top Chef alum, after all), it was just too much.

While some might praise her for following her heart and eventually finding a new passion in the wake of a failed love connection with ChefDreamy, it's hard to boo-hoo with someone who leads such a charmed life. And trust me, it's charmed with a capital "C," to list all the ways would probably ignite most people's gag reflex.

In fact, her story is so darn convenient, it'll probably be made into yet another charmless rom-com starring (sigh!) Katherine Heigl because not even Julia Roberts would sign up for this self-centered drivel. And that's saying something considering Julia was the one who played Gilbert in what ended up being nothing more than a pretty spectacular travelogue.

Aside from a couple incredible jaunts to Greece, not even Apron Anxiety has that going for it, sadly.