Chick Lit Goddess

...because every author wants to feel like a goddess!

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I’m A Tired Bear

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Sometimes it’s okay to just take a break…

This past weekend I took off Saturday and Sunday.  I’ve been so caught up in my work that I’ve barely spent any time relaxing.  Work is all I think about.  I guess this is a good thing because I love what I do, but sometimes it’s necessary to take a vacation, like my parents and brother have been telling me — especially my husband.  When I came back to work today, I felt refreshed and ready to take on what I had waiting for me.

How do you deal with taking a break from your work?  Do you handle it well, or are you a worker bee?

Here’s my message to you…

Janet Eve Josselyn

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Author Bio: Janet Eve Josselyn graduated from Colby College, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and Boston College Law School.  She toiled for years as a litigator in Boston at a law firm that is no longer still in business.  Prior to her meteoric rise in the law, Janet worked as an architect in Boston, designing some pretty hideous buildings that have probably been torn down by now.  She has published one novel, Thin Rich Bitches, and has written numerous articles for publications in the US (including MORE Magazine) and in the UK (including People of Few Words).  Janet, her husband, son, and large black dog currently reside in an unnamed suburb of Boston where she will be able to count her friends on one hand soon after publication of Thin Rich Bitches.

Five Reasons Why Reading Chick-Lit Can Make You Look Younger and Thinner

One thing that diet pill manufacturers don’t want you to know is that reading chick-lit can make you look younger and thinner for a lot less money.  With your nose buried in a good chick-lit book, you won’t be making any new wrinkles worrying about your narcissistic boss, your child’s pathetic math grade or the husband’s penchant for not flushing the toilet.  And there is no need to be scared reading a litany of horrific descriptions of bodily functions that could cease if you indulge in the product.  Just read, and enjoy.  No need to call 9-1-1 because you are unable to breathe or speak.  Like that would do any good anyway, if you are unable to breathe or speak.  That is about as funny as the lawyers for the diet pill companies ever get.

Secondly, you can feel real, guilt-free joy when the fictional narcissistic boyfriend contracts something yucky after engaging in a frolic with a woman who is not his girlfriend.  Not only is that wanton woman a real piece of (fictional) work, but we can afflict her with any nasty personal habit we want to at the drop of a hat if we are the author.  And we can also remind the boyfriend about the consequences of behaving like a fictional bad boy.  So much fun!  Fictional stuff can’t run afoul of any state or federal laws, so the guilt-free joy really is anxiety-free and thus wrinkle-free.

Thirdly, reading chick-lit can make you look younger and thinner because if you are parked on the sofa or curled-up on the bed reading chick-lit, you are not exposing your skin to the harmful rays of the sun. No need to debate the merits of SPF 30 versus SPF 100.  That’s a no-brainer.

Reading chick-lit is also satisfying and calorie-free (unless you dragged the giant bag of M&M’s that you bought from Costco (allegedly for the husband) to the sofa to enjoy as you read the chick-lit)).

Lastly, if you are reading chick-lit, most likely you are not driving the husband’s car and ignoring the flashing oil light moments before seizing the engine which is very loud and smoky and stressful and expensive and pisses the husband off, causing stress and angst and wrinkles and other stuff that definitely ages a wife.  Trust me on that one . . . . . !

**Contact Janet:

Send a message or post a comment on her Facebook page!

Email her at: janetjosselyn100@gmail.com

**Click HERE to read my review of “Thin Rich Bitches”

Taking Shots

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Book Review for “Taking Shots”

“Taking Shots” by Toni Aleo

Photographer, Elli Fisher, loves hockey – it’s practically what she lives for.  When given the chance to take pictures of her favorite team, the Nashville Assassins, she gladly jumps at the chance!  That’s when she finally meets her long-time crush and captain of the team, Shea Adler, #6.  There is immediate attraction between them from day one, though Ellie doesn’t get why because she doesn’t think she’s his type.  Shea Adler is known for having one night stands with big-boobed blond women, and isn’t supposed to be falling for overweight and very insecure girls like herself.  Once she realizes how persistent Shea is, her confidence grows and grows, only after he breaks every wall that she hides behind and after a lot of work, but Shea doesn’t give up on her – thanks to the sometimes help of Ellie’s best friend Harper, who is also dating an Assassin, and Grace, Shea’s sister.

I loved this book!  Toni Aleo has written a book I will never forget.  “Taking Shots” was such a delight to read.  From beginning to end, I was keeping my fingers crossed for Ellie and Shea.  Not only were these two great as a couple, they were great characters individually who had their own storyline with friends and family.  I loved how the book was written from his and her POV.  I thought it was done very well – and loved how it switched just when I wanted to know that the other was thinking, and the sex scenes were hot!  While it was long and words were repeated quite often, I couldn’t put it down.  If you’re looking for a cute read with a happy ever after ending, then you’ll love this book!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!

About the author:

My name is Toni Aleo!
I am a wife, mother, and hopeless romantic.
I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey!
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughters dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, and reading the latest romance novel.
I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, and did I mention I love hockey?
I hope to hear from you on here, my Facebook, or my twitter! Thank you so much!

Contact Toni:

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Buy “Taking Shots!”

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Lulu

Buy her other Assassins book, “Trying To Score!”

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Lulu

Do You Like Your Characters?

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Have you ever been in the writing or editing process and haven’t liked you main (or any) characters?  Well, beginning to strongly dislike my Hero.  I’m in the editing process of my first book and I’m wanting to delete him all together.  He’s the main Hero, so this means creating a new character — maybe even a guy with a heart towards his pregnant girlfriend and the baby he helped to create!

Let me explain:

Nathan really is a nice guy.  His girlfriend is pregnant and he doesn’t want to be a father.  She wants to keep it, but he had major daddy issues.  His dad wasn’t there for him, so he’s afraid of repeating the pattern.  While he love Lucy (my Heroine), being a father part of the plan.  Lucy prepares to become a mother on her own and she’s okay with that decision.

Nice guy, right?  Ha!  I know that this might be a realty for some, but this guy is a jerk!  He’s a handsome jerk, one that could easily be described as an innocent Christian Grey of “50 Shades of Grey.”  When I wrote this two years ago, the only conflict I could think of was pregnancy because I didn’t want to write about love triangles.  (I have before in a book that I didn’t finish, but might continue with that sometime in the future).  Maybe I don’t like Nathan because I have trouble writing from a male POV!

::::::Sigh::::::

Have you ever written a book, then want to get rid of a character because you don’t like him or her?  What do you do to get your characters likable?

Why Writers Should Follow Celebrities

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Jennifer Aniston
George Clooney

Celebrities!  We might love them and we might hate them, but as writers I think we should pay attention to them and what they say and do.  Why, you ask?  Because it helps us create better characters.

Often times when I have writer’s block, I think of what situations celebs have been in.  I imagine what they would wear, what they do, who they’d be with and what they’d say.  This helps add drama.  In this case, I  sometimes add Kardashian-like traits to my Heroine.  While I’m not really a fan of the Kardashian’s, Khloe is my favorite.  (Read THIS blog post I wrote about her).

I think that I first really began to enjoy celebs when Friends was on.  I loved Jennifer Aniston and still do!  She’s got a great body, she’s funny, she has confidence, and she’s moved on from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – yuck!  Come on, we all know he’s a loser for cheating on Jen!  As for George (yes, I’m on a first name basis with him), don’t we all wish he was our Heroine?  Can you believe he just turned 51?!  This leads me to another plus of following celebs – relationships!  If you read the famously known tabloids and relate them to your characters, then you can create conflict between your Hero/Third Party/Heroine.  The magazine and website I use for this is UsWeekly!

Matthew McConaughey

(It’s okay if you can’t take your eyes off the men on this post.  I can’t either).

Here’s some advice for writing your characters like celebs:

  • Follow them on Facebook or Twitter

Read magazines!  Don’t just look at the pictures imagining how you wish you had their life

When watching an award show, observe them carefully: How do they walk? Who do they hug? A parent, friend or lover?

Reese Witherspoon

Above all, create the character that you want!  It’s important to do this because while copying can be easy, I don’t recommend it.  Be creative!  You don’t have to use everything about just one actor or actress, but maybe combining characteristics might work better — to create that perfect character for your book.

If all else fails, go ahead and use the Kardashian family!  You’re bound to write characters with lots of drama (KIM), lots of love (KHLOE), and lots of mommy-talk (KOURTNEY).

Coauthoring! A Do or A Don’t?

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For Al Roker’s Book Club, he had on the authors for “Peter and the Starcatchers,” Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.  One of the three children who read the book asked a similar question to this one, “What made you write together?”

This got me thinking about coauthoring.  Every writer is different, so making decisions about characters, plot, or even the way to go about it, I’m sure is quite a grueling process.  Since I’ve only written two books (none of them published – yet), my mind isn’t open to coauthoring right now, but if the opportunity arises with the right person, I might change my mind.

Have you coauthored a book?  How did it turn out?  If you haven’t, have you always wanted to?  What’s stopping you?  Tell me your experience(s)!

It’s Fun Friday: My Top 5 Favorite Chick Lit Sites

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Ah, Friday!  It’s nice to see you!

If you love the Chick Lit genre and are trying to find a fun and reliable site, the following might help.  I have paid close attention their dedication to their site and what they say about Chick Lit.  Through their blog posts, comments, guests and reviews, it is clear why the following are on my list of the top 5!

#5: Chick Lit Club Connect

#4: The Chick Lit Bee

#3: Chick Lit & Wine

#2: Chick Lit Central

#1: Chick Lit Plus

I also wanted to share THIS link from the Accredited Online Colleges if you’d like more valid Chick Lit sites!  You’ll see that I’m #9 on that list!  How cool is that?!

Anyway, it’s been a busy week and I’m very excited for the upcoming weekend!  I plan on continuing to read a book for review.  I will also be starting a book for a CLP blog tour that I’ll be taking part of in a few weeks.  Editing is another thing I’ll be working on, and I hope to get a good chuck of that out of the way.

I wish you a very happy Friday and hope you all have a wonderful weekend!