Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012 - Winners Announced!!!

The Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012... 

is officially over and I want to thank my fellow Chick Lit Authors who participated, Tracie Bannister (author extraordinaire and the brainchild of CLA 2012) for all her tireless efforts to make the hop a success, and, especially, the Chick Lit readers who hopped around and left comments on each of our blogs.  So much fun!

BIG NEWS!!! The Grand Prize Winner of the $150 Sephora gift card is <drum roll please> . . . Tiffany White!  Have fun shopping!!!

The winner of my e-book, Flirting with Death, Assassins Anonymous – Step One, is . . . Patricia W!  Congrats, Patricia, and Happy Reading!

Each of the 34 authors involved in the blog hop will be announcing the winner of their e-books on their respective blogs, so please check in with them to see if you won.

A huge THANK YOU to all the other Chick Lit authors, readers, and bloggers who made the Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012 a smashing success! I don’t know about all of you, but I can’t wait for the next oneJ!

As ever, Happy Reading!

~Heidi

Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012 - The Love Triangle

Even in Chick Lit, two-timing is practically a four letter word. But a love triangle, ah, now that's just good, juicy dessert for the brain! I believe my addiction to this concept started about a decade ago when I got hooked on the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. JE makes the love triangle a treat I simply can't deny myself (solidly team Ranger here). I've been giving a lot of thought to why I enjoy this scenario so much and have come to a startling conclusion. (Okay, it's not exactly earth shattering, but it's pretty good.) There is no such thing as the perfect man. Nope, he simply doesn't exist. There is only perfection in the eye of the beholder... hence, the love triangle.

When two men are fighting (knowingly, or more often, unknowingly) for the affection of a woman, it gives us a chance to reflect on not so much the ideal, but what we can live with for the rest of our lives. Do we want a strong, handsome brute who will drag us to his cave and have his way with us? (Yes, please). Or is that quiet, shy, cerebrally sexy nerd who woos us with emotions and depth the man we want? (Oh, yeah, a little of that, too).

So the love triangle gives us a glimpse into two distinctly different versions of maleness while challenging us with making a choice of what's really important. There has been much discussion lately over the phenomenon of 50 Shades of Grey (and, really, if you're looking for an adult fantasy read after Twilight, I'd personally recommend An Unexpected Obsession ;-) *end of shameless plug*) and the idea of mommy porn. I know, you're thinking, "What does this have to do with Chick Lit and Love Triangles?" I'm getting there...

A few fabulously snarky and dead-on commentators have pointed out that true mommy porn is watching your significant other *insert most despised chore here*. For me, it's the laundry. If my hubs would ever deign to do one load from start to finish I would surely be transported to a tantric state of wanting non-stop sex for the next decade. But I don't want to read about it.

Nix the true mommy porn and we're back to the delicious dis-dat-deli (I'll take a little bit of dis with a large side of dat). Great Chick Lit transports us into the life of the heroine and allows us to judge her choices and options from that lovely 30,000 foot viewpoint. (And, oh how I love to judge these fictional others from the privacy of my own snarky mind). What would we do in her shoes given our personal life experiences? (you know you have an opinion). If we had the chance, would we go back and risk forever with the bad boy who made our heart race as fast and loud as the engine on his Harley? Or, do we wish we would have forgone the dangerous path and chosen the slow and steady beau who made our heart pitter-patter with his talk of family and white picket fences?

Sometimes the choice isn't always so extreme, but the excitement and nail-biting of the decision still makes us fly through the pages to see what the outcome will be. Chick Lit is the wonderful outlet for these fantasies where our heroines don't need to have bodacious ta-tas and be able to cook a gourmet meal after working a twenty hour day at the law office where she makes a seven-figure salary and yet still caters to every whimsical fantasy of her man. Not just no, but HELL NO.

In Chick Lit we get to meet women who we relate to in fun, frustrating, quirky and fantastical ways - Where dating two (or more? hmmm) men isn't taboo but a necessary evil along the road to bliss. Hopefully the love triangle will never go away because reading about them is just too much fun!

So, how do you feel about a love triangle? Ever had the uncomfortable pleasure of experiencing one for yourself? In fiction, do you always root for the boy-next-door or the boy-your-mama-warned-you-about? Leave a comment below with your name and email address and you'll be entered to win a copy of my e-book, Flirting with Death, where Kayla is stuck between wanting the man her conscience tells her she should and the dangerous criminal her heart can't forget.

BOOK BLURB:

Is there a twelve-step program for recovering assassins?

Kayla McKenna is a covert assassin—and she likes it. After her father was murdered by terrorists, she was consumed by the need for retribution. But landing her dream job as a CIA assassin turns out to be merely a stepping stone in her plot to avenge the heartaches of the past... and present. One botched mission earns Kayla a burn notice, a bullet hole and a one-way ticket back to suburbia. Banished to her childhood stomping grounds with a meddling, shopping-addicted mother intent on grandkids, three overprotective cop brothers, a sexy criminal who can’t decide whether he wants to shoot her or date her, and a new boyfriend even her family loves, Kayla may finally get the chance to find out what really matters in life.

That is, if living a "normal" life doesn’t kill her first.

With a delicious combination of mystery, suspense, romance, edgy chick-lit, and a dash of paranormal, the first installment of the new Assassins Anonymous series is a wickedly fun treat.

~~~~~~~~~~

For a chance to win the Chick Lit Author Blog Hop Grand Prize of a $150 Sephora gift card, simply do the following:

1) Collect all 34 of the secret words (you will find a secret word in each of the blog posts on the hop.)  The word will be italicized, so it will be easy to locate.

2) Submit your list of 34 secret words to CLABlogHop@aol.com before midnight on Sunday, May 20th and you will be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing! 

The Grand Prize winner will be announced on Monday, May 21st, and the $150 Sephora gift card can be redeemed online, or at any Sephora store in the US.

*Chick Lit Author Blog Hop contests are open to residents of the United States only.
 Please see the top of the sidebar to the right of this post (beneath the Chick Lit Authors Blog Hop 2012 badge) for a Linky list with all 34 participating authors/blogs. You will have an opportunity to win a different e-book at each blog hop stop. Good luck and happy reading!

A New Release from a Fabulous Paranormal Fantasy Author - Kill Me by Alex Owens!

Need something to read?

Hot off the virtual press is Alex Owens' debut novel, Kill Me.

Three days ago, Claire was a wife, a mother, and very much alive... then the music called for her.

Claire has one goal for the conference-- to land a few whales so that her boss will give her a badly needed raise. She pitches and prays while courting the music industry elite until her plans are derailed by hotness-in-high-heels.

Bette is at the conference on a mission--to find a human with untapped talents that she can mold and control. Bette uses her cursed violin to lure Claire in with a haunting song, which unravels Claire's life as her new talents emerge. To make matters worse, Claire is attracted to two unlikely people-- Bette and her hunky associate, Gregor. Both can light Claire's fire, but is either of them the only one?

Unfortunately for Claire, life isn't all song lyrics and seduction. Tied to darkness by blood and power, Claire must harness her abilities if she has any hope of returning home to her daughter and regaining her former life... if that's what she really wants.

Kill Me, the debut novel from author Alex Owens, is a quirky paranormal fantasy complete with music, magic, fangs and freaks. It is also the first in a planned series, with the second book due out by the Fall of 2012. Be forewarned, this is not your daughter's paranormal.

You know you can't wait to read more... so why bother trying? Kill Me is available TODAY for Kindle on Amazon for the special debut price of $3.99! Find out more about Alex Owens, Kill Me, and the Blood Chord Series here:

Blood Chord Series Site 

Publisher Site

Twitter

Facebook

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

Fantastic Read - The Baby Thief by L.J. Sellers

The Baby Thief is yet another book by an author I stumbled upon and am now addicted to. With a delicious blend of warped morals, twisted motives and thrilling turns, L.J. Sellers has hit the mark when it comes to the ultimate in suspense.

Description (from Amazon product page):

"Thirty-two and still single, Jenna wants a baby before it's too late so she visits a fertility clinic. Soon after she meets Eric, a charming reporter, and their attraction is powerful. Meanwhile the clinic doctor, after one look at Jenna, makes other plans. The doctor and her lover kidnap Jenna and steal one of her eggs—a simple procedure that the “donor” should no have memory of. But from the beginning, things go terribly wrong. When Jenna disappears, Eric is confused and heartbroken—but can he find her in time to save her?"

The Baby Thief is incredibly engrossing and I highly recommend. Normally, I'm all about chick-lit, but every once in a while I just need a break and this was the perfect detour! Currently only $2.99 on Amazon, there is absolutely no reason not to give it a try.

Happy Reading!
~Heidi

She's Baaaack! Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Okay, so this always happens when I'm nearly finished with a project... I start procrastinating! What is my favorite way to pass the time when I'm in procrastination mode? Read, of course!

I've been hemming and hawing over reading J.E.'s latest because the reviews are so mixed. I mean, Explosive Eighteen actually has more 1-star ratings than 5-star, which I find mind boggling. I can understand the complaints about price. $13.99 for an ebook that was released nearly six months ago? Ridiculous. Sorry, I love Miss Evanovich, but the pricing by the big publishers really ticks me off. So what did I do? Bought the damn thing.

And I loved it! Reviewers have been dead on with the past few books in that they were getting a bit repetitive and lacking in the surprising bursts of laugh-out-loud humor J.E. is famous for. Not Explosive Eighteen! Usually when I have a written LOL moment, it's really more of a small grin, maybe a slight chuckle. Yet, finally, I can write that I seriously laughed, deep belly chuckles, more than once while reading this book. Do I wish Stephanie would make up her mind? Yes! Well, only if she picks Ranger, but that's a personal preference.

Then again, if Explosive Eighteen is any indication of a return to the former glory of the Stephanie Plum series, I don't want her to make a difinitive choice... because then it would be over. And it can't be over. I need a go-to author who keeps me turning the pages and inspires me to new heights.

I won't rehash the plot, because if you're a fan you know what you're getting here. But I will say all those 1-star reviews are misguided in my opinion. If you're holding out for the same reasons I was, don't. Well worth the read. (Even more worth it if you can get your hands on the paperback or a used copy... $13.99? Really? Okay, enough said. I'm over it now. Promise.)

Bitching aside, I highly recommend Explosive Eighteen. Fun, fun, fun read!!!

Happy Page Turning!
~Heidi

Blood Orchids by Toby Neal - Aloha!

I was first drawn to this book because it has nearly the same title as one of my all-time faves by Stuart Woods. I'm so glad I took a chance and actually read it! Blood Orchids by Toby Neal is a fantastic book! I'll start with the scenery - The Big Island of Hawaii is one of my favorite places on this earth. And while I've only been to the Kona Coast portion of the island, I really enjoyed the imagery of Hilo and the surrounding parks and and beaches.

Lei, the main character of this novel is an interesting and engaging heroine. Her background is vivid and compelling. There were times I almost felt like a voyeur because her history was so well-written and fleshed out. The mystery? Wonderful, and, as the book description says, "un-putdownable."

Then there's her faithful companion - Keiki. I love animals and it seems I always fall in love with books where I fall in love with the animal/s portrayed in them. Keiki can come live with me any day!

Romance is definitely an important element in Blood Orchids, but it's not overpowering or mushy. Toby Neal put just the right amount in to make it true to the story and, especially, to the characters. Bravo! I also love series, so I can't wait to find out what happens to Lei next.

Blood Orchids is currently $2.99 on Amazon and worth every penny. If you enjoy mystery, suspense, and romance all wrapped up into one fabulous read - this is the book for you. I highly recommend!

Happy Reading!
~Heidi

Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy is... Golden!

Golden Lies is the second book I've read by Barbara Freethy. And this one is definitely my favorite of the two! Let me start with the cover, because I absolutely love it - although after reading the book, other than the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, I didn't find it really suited the content. But it is a beautiful image and was definitely a deciding factor when I downloaded the book.

The story revolves around three central main characters who are drawn together when a mysterious dragon statue is found. I really enjoyed the Asian culture in the book and found it original and refreshing.

The romance and chemistry between Riley and Paige sparked and drew me in. Theirs was a romance I could get behind and root for. Every character was well drawn and their histories were portrayed with depth and realism. What I really liked was how quickly the pace moved and how, with so many different threads being woven together, I never felt like I missed anything, or something wasn't explained. Golden Lies is the epitome of romantic suspense. You won't be able to put it down.

(Possible spoiler?) The ending is what I expected, but I wouldn't have had it any other way... happy endings are always a must-have for me. Golden Lies is ridiculously inexpensive, too. I actually downloaded it as a freebie, but when I went to Amazon to check on the price just now I saw it is only $1.99. BARGAIN! For romance and romantic suspense lovers, you won't want to miss this one.

Happy Reading!

~Heidi