Get to know Oliver Christensen! YUM!

As we continue with a week of love and romance, it's time for you to get to know Oliver!

Celebrity you've been told you look like:

I've been told I look like that guy from that chick flick...Something Borrowed, I think it's called. He was also on that show about a prostitute. Colin something or other. Pretty good looking guy, so I guess I should be flattered. I don't see it though. I'm just a regular guy. 

Naughty food you like to indulge in:

It's rare I get the opportunity to indulge, but I love a greasy steak hoagie with fries and ranch dressing. Perfectly craptastic. 

What you wear to bed:

Depends who I'm with. My ex fiancé...tee and pajama bottoms. With Mia, absolutely nothing. 

Favorite body part of the opposite sex:

With Mia, it's all about the hair and eyes. 

How many people you've said "I love you" to:

If you don't count my nanny, just Mia. 

Relationship deal-breaker:

Prima-donna behavior. I'm so over spoiled socialites. 

Your first kiss - How old were you? Did you instigate it?:

I spend a lot of my childhood being ushered from one activity to another. There wasn't much time for social interaction with the opposite sex. But when I was thirteen, my parents sent me to a hoity toity summer camp for privileged kids. It was supposed to be three solid weeks of enrichment and education. But when the counselors turned in for the night, these prim and proper kids did some very unproper things. I learned a WHOLE lot that summer about female anatomy. And being I was the new kid--fresh meat--I didn't have to instigate anything. 

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? If so, describe:

Nope. Was never into that sort of thing. It was very frowned upon in my world.

Favorite alcoholic drink:

Scotch. The good stuff. But now that I'm with Mia, I don't really care to much for it anymore.

Describe your dream girl:

Low maintenance, fun, outgoing. Doesn't care about image or fancy hairdos and clothes. Wants to be with me for me, not because of my place on the social ladder.


So that's Oliver!! What do ya think????

If you want to know what happens with him and Mia, preorder Try Me On For Size! Release date July 14th! Click the links below!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Q&A with my heroine Mia!!

It's Valentine's week! The week to celebrate love! We should celebrate love every day--and I do--but I have zero complaints about a week and day dedicated to it!!

My Chick Lit Chat group is doing a fun event this week! Today's festivities include an interview with your heroine! I chose to "interview" Mia Montonari, the co-owner of Classy 'n' Sassy Lingerie from my soon to be released book Try Me On For Size!

So here we go!

1) What three qualities do you find most attractive in a partner?

First of all, he has to be trustworthy. I can't stand liars and cheats. Cleanliness is a major plus. I'm nobody's maid. And I guess the third would be success. I'm dedicated to my job and I need a man who can understand, respect and support that.

2) What’s your idea of romance?

I don't know. Does romance even matter? I'd much rather have a man who can control his bodily functions. Now that's romance!

3) Who's your favorite on-screen couple (Film or TV)?

I don't know if I have one. I don't watch much TV aside from stupid reality shows. It's my one vice.  But I do admire my what my best friend Bryn had with her husband Johnny. Pure perfection. My heart broke for her when he died. I hope to some day find a love like that, but it doesn't look like it's ever going to happen. 

4) What's been your most embarrassing moment in regards to the opposite sex?

Oh God. I have a million. Not sure I can even narrow it down to just one. And I think I'll keep all the sexual embarrassment to myself. But I guess it would have to be the time I was supposed to meet my boyfriend at his friend's house for a costume party. Imagine showing up as Thing 1, blue hair and all, and Thing 2 never shows. Oh and it wasn't just any old costume party. It was a themed Roaring 20's party. Gadsby meets Dr. Suess. 

5) What was your first impression of your partner or crush? How accurate was it?

First impression of Oliver? When I thought he was Ryan, the guy I was interviewing? Hot! Hot! Hot!  With an amazing ass. But I should have known. It was all too good to be true.

6) How have you coped with break-ups in the past?

None of my past relationships lasted very long. I was glad to see them go. I don't have time to waste on men who can't be mature adults. 

7) Which hot actor would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with and why? 

Hard to say, since I'm not real up on what's hot in Hollywood these days. But if I have to pick , I'd have to go back to my youth. I was so in love with Leonardo DiCaprio. I'm pretty sure I wore out my VHS copies of Titanic and Romeo and Juliet. Those eyes. And that smile. 

8) What is the craziest thing you've ever done for love?

Me? Absolutely nothing. I'm still waiting for someone worthy enough of crazy actions. At this rate, I will die never having done a crazy thing.

9) PDA: How much is acceptable?  

Oh no. Not appropriate. I don't want to see people making out while I'm trying to go about my normal day, so I would never subject people to that. But what happens in my office, stays in my office. 

10) What is the best relationship advice you've ever gotten?

Probably when Bryn told me that love and relationships are never perfect, but with the right guy, it's worth it. 

If you like Mia and want to know more about her, here are the presale links for Try Me On For Size!!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Technology in Contemporary Books

Tonight I'm hosting Chick Lit Chat on Twitter!! Come on by at 8 EST and use the hashtag #chicklitchat! Tonight's topic is technology in contemporary works!

My topic for tonight came from an old episode of Friends. I am a huge fan of the show and I'm in the process of watching the entire series from start to finish on DVD. In one of the early season's episodes, there was a big problem when some of the friends were supposed to be somewhere and they weren't and no one knew where they were and it turned into a huge problem. (I'm blanking on exact details, since I watched this episode a couple months ago.) But anyway, I sat here thinking to myself, "This would't even be an issue today since everyone has cell phones."

This made me think about technology, or lack there of, and it's place in contemporary work.

Obviously when this episode of Friends was made, cell phones existed, but not like they do in today's society. And even in later episodes--I'm now on season 9-- they all have cell phones, but they are old clamshell style. No smartphones. It sure dates the show. Which is perfectly fine for a TV series. But a book?

I see distinct advantages to leaving out as much technology as you can. Authors want their books to live on and be read for years and years to come. No one wants a reader to read it and think the same things I thought while rewatching an old TV episode.

But on the other hand, leaving technology out isn't the best option either. It's a part of our lives. Most people use cell phones, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, etc…on a daily basis, not to mention computers, TVs, DVD, DVR, the way we listen to music. All these things evolve so fast. Something cutting edge now will be outdated in two years. I even think about a newbie writer working on their first novel. Usually it takes a while…years even. By the time it's done, the technology in that book is most definitely outdated.

But technology is a part of life, and leaving it out can make a contemporary piece of fiction feel very unrealistic.

Book settings- Big City vs. Small Town

When I sat down and started crafting my first book, I naturally set it in a city setting, since that is where I grew up. It was comfortable for me. I went on to write a few more books, also set in cities. The fast-pace excitement of a city setting fit the story.

I wrote a novella and set it in a small town. I wanted to try it out. And I liked it. It was interesting to see the drama that unfolded with the quirky characters you find in that setting. The gossip mill never stops churning! It was addicting and I went on to write a few more books set in small towns.

There is so much to love about a book set in a city, especially if it's a well known major city, like NYC. I set my Karma books there. There is so much excitement in a big city, so much going on. There are all kinds of ways the setting can affect the plot and characters. I have been to NY a couple times, so I can envision it from experience, but there is soooooo much online about NYC that the research is so simple to do. When you set a book in a real city, you have to make sure the details are accurate and with a big city, it's very easy to do. And I think readers enjoy reading about these places. They may be places they might not ever get to visit in real life.

Small towns are so fun to write about. I tend to completely make mine up though, and the crazy quirky people who live there. There is a certain charm to a small town, quaint and cute, but that doesn't mean there isn't drama. My husband grew up in a small town, and I see how everyone knows everything about everyone who lives there. It's hard to keep things secret, and that can definitely add to the drama in a book.

Tonight I am hosting this week's #ChickLitChat on Twitter and my topic is city vs small town. What we love, what we hate, how where we grew up or live currently affects our opinions. Come on by and share your opinions!! 8 PM EST, use the hashtag to join in!

Chick Lit Chat

I don't know if you all know this, but I am one of the hosts of Chick Lit Chat on Twitter!! What is Chick Lit Chat, you ask?? Well, let me explain! :)

A while back, I believe it was my good friend Jen Daiker from Unedited, wanted to start a chat on Twitter to talk about all things Chick Lit. If you are stumped on what that even is, it's a sub genre of women's fiction, traditionally about younger women in an urban setting. The stories are funny and sassy with lots of drama. The genre has evolved over the years, with older characters, moms, small town settings, and the title isn't quite used as much anymore, but there is still a HUGE following. Jen wanted to do something fun to bring together readers and writers to support the genre, and #ChickLitChat was born.

So each week on Thursday night at 8 PM Eastern Standard Time, we all gather on Twitter and chat. You must use the hashtag #chicklitchat to participate. There is always a host and a topic for the week, ranging from our favorite titles, to our favorite types of characters, to writing related topics about plot and dialogue. Every week is something new and every week we have a total blast! I love meeting new people who love the genre as much as I do. It's great for readers because they can meet authors and find out how our minds work! And great for authors, since we love meeting our readers!

So come on over to our chat this week!! Visit the profile for our headquarters- ChickLitChatHQ and give us a follow for reminders and updates to the chat. I'm hosting tonight!! See ya there!!!