I received an email today—one of those chain emails that promises you luck and love and happiness if you pass it on to ten friends—that touted the greatness of female friends and loved ones. And I was ready to forward it on to ten of my girlfriends simply because the message was about loving and honoring women. But a line near the bottom halted me. It stated, “Men don’t do what they’re supposed to do.”
I really can’t agree with this statement. That sweeping generalization, full of bitterness and lacking in respect, completely turned my stomach. And it made me wonder about the woman who’d written the original email. I know why the woman who sent it to me forwarded it. She’d been hurt by men. Her father, her boyfriends, her co-workers. They’d proven to her that men “don’t do what they’re supposed to.” So certainly, that assertion didn’t alarm her. It didn’t keep her from sharing the message of sisterly love contained within the email.
And trust me, I’ve been hurt by men, too. Men that didn’t “do what they’re supposed to do.” But these men were individuals, operating out of their own needs and desires, which just so happened to be in conflict with mine. I cried my tears when they hurt me, and then I let them go. I chose not to keep those men in my life. And I moved on. Because I had evidence that some men do do what they’re supposed to.
Luckily, I have a father whose love for me I’ve never doubted. A brother whose friendship I cherish more as each year passes. Uncles who encouraged me in my youth and grandfathers who lauded my achievements. And beyond that, I have male friends who have supported my dreams and who have lent me their shoulders when I needed to cry.
In fact, one of the saddest days in my life—the day my mother passed away less than a year ago—it was the men in my life who came to my aid. My uncle in Indiana spent hours on the phone with me, comforting me. One of my best friends, a man so close I consider him to be much like an older brother, left a basketball game across town and raced to the hospital, wrapping me up in his arms as I cried into his chest. My brother booked a cross-country flight and was by my side before nightfall. Of course, my girlfriends, aunts, sister-in-law and grandmother all offered their support, as well. But it was the men in my life who showed up that day. Their strength got me through it. And I am grateful every day for their presence, both near and far.
So, yes. Some men do what they’re supposed to do. You just have to know which ones to embrace and which ones to let go. And that’s up to us, the women, to do. Not the men. We have the intelligence, strength, and independence to support each other. But let’s not forget to support our brothers, too.
Ciao,
Lucie
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
An Ode to My Book Buddies
Reading used to be a pretty solitary thing for me. Oh sure, the act of reading a book is still something I do in solitude, usually curled up with a cup of tea or snuggling into my pillow at bedtime. But, where I used to quietly scan the bookshelves of my local Borders (miss them so!)to pore over eye-catching covers and flip through first chapters to find my latest read, I now get my book recommendations almost entirely from my friends in cyberspace. From book bloggers I love (see sidebar on the left) to authors I’ve discovered on Twitter, to the constantly updated list of book picks my cyber friends share on Goodreads, I have a never-ending supply of fab reads awaiting me.
It is no longer a hunt through the stacks to search out my next reading adventure, but more like a book finds me. Its pretty cover will pop up on my iPad screen and I will fall instantly and magically in lust. And the best part is, not only does the book find me, but I find friends through the book’s readers. People like me who salivate at the beautiful artwork and ache to read the tale that so swiftly stole their attention from the reality of the day. These are my people. Book nerds. Bibliophiles. Readaholics. Whatever you call us, we are one. Connected by the ether and a love for words. And I simply cannot describe how much my world has opened up since joining this online community of bookworms and authors.
And if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of us. So I just want to say thanks for sharing your book recommendations, your reviews, your enthusiasm for the written word. Because no matter what happens with the publishing industry, we will still be here. Waiting for that next great story to grab our interest and carry us off into a land of make-believe. Love to you all!
Ciao!
Lucie
It is no longer a hunt through the stacks to search out my next reading adventure, but more like a book finds me. Its pretty cover will pop up on my iPad screen and I will fall instantly and magically in lust. And the best part is, not only does the book find me, but I find friends through the book’s readers. People like me who salivate at the beautiful artwork and ache to read the tale that so swiftly stole their attention from the reality of the day. These are my people. Book nerds. Bibliophiles. Readaholics. Whatever you call us, we are one. Connected by the ether and a love for words. And I simply cannot describe how much my world has opened up since joining this online community of bookworms and authors.
And if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of us. So I just want to say thanks for sharing your book recommendations, your reviews, your enthusiasm for the written word. Because no matter what happens with the publishing industry, we will still be here. Waiting for that next great story to grab our interest and carry us off into a land of make-believe. Love to you all!
Ciao!
Lucie
Thursday, February 09, 2012
A Change in Plans
My short (short!) story, A Change in Plans, is being featured at The Chick Lit Bee today in their Valentine's Day Flash Fiction contest. Stop by and tell them what you think of it!
A Change in Plans
Ciao!
Lucie
A Change in Plans
Ciao!
Lucie
True Love Way
I am very excited about Simon & Fig's upcoming release, True Love Way, the debut novel by Nancy Scrofano, founding editor of The Chick Lit Bee. And I absolutely adore the cover!
Marlo Spencer relishes all things retro. Old TV shows, classic movies, and even the collectible lunch boxes to go with them. In fact, she’s quite cozy in her Malibu apartment, surrounded by her treasured knick-knacks and vintage memorabilia. It’s her best friend, Nik, who doesn’t get her fascination with all that “old junk,” as he calls it. He especially doesn’t understand why she’s so keen to get back to their hometown of Napa when her high school sweetheart, Josh, suddenly returns after twelve years in Paris and nary a single phone call, eager to reunite with her. So, when Marlo heads up north to wine country to rekindle her relationship with Josh, Nik tags along, claiming he was already planning to visit his sister, Savannah, Marlo’s gal pal. Once they reach Napa, however, dreams of a blissful reunion are shattered as old secrets and past betrayals are revealed, leaving an unsuspecting Marlo to pick up the pieces. Can she forgive and forget, or will true love find a different path to her heart?
Does that not sound like pure Chick Lit fun?
Ciao!
Lucie
Marlo Spencer relishes all things retro. Old TV shows, classic movies, and even the collectible lunch boxes to go with them. In fact, she’s quite cozy in her Malibu apartment, surrounded by her treasured knick-knacks and vintage memorabilia. It’s her best friend, Nik, who doesn’t get her fascination with all that “old junk,” as he calls it. He especially doesn’t understand why she’s so keen to get back to their hometown of Napa when her high school sweetheart, Josh, suddenly returns after twelve years in Paris and nary a single phone call, eager to reunite with her. So, when Marlo heads up north to wine country to rekindle her relationship with Josh, Nik tags along, claiming he was already planning to visit his sister, Savannah, Marlo’s gal pal. Once they reach Napa, however, dreams of a blissful reunion are shattered as old secrets and past betrayals are revealed, leaving an unsuspecting Marlo to pick up the pieces. Can she forgive and forget, or will true love find a different path to her heart?
Does that not sound like pure Chick Lit fun?
Ciao!
Lucie
Monday, January 30, 2012
Happy Endings
If a story ends on a happy or hopeful note, does that make it “fluff?” Are cynicism and a bleak or melancholy tone required for something to be considered “intellectual?” If you happen to enjoy reading romance or Chick Lit, does this make you superficial and vapid?
I can’t deny that Hamlet is one of the greatest tragedies every written, but let’s not forget that Shakespeare was considered low brow in his day. Appealing to the masses with sex, violence, and bawdy humor, his plays were often considered a guilty pleasure. Yet today, we hold up the Bard’s work as literary masterpieces, and indeed they are. But not because everybody dies at the end. Because his stories were rich with drama, humor, suspense and damn entertaining.
I studied drama in college, which covered everything from Eurpides to Eugene O’Neill. And you know what? There were a lot of happy endings and humorous, “pastoral” plays mixed in with those great tragic tales. And they were every bit as popular and as revered as the dramas that we now consider superior to comedies.
I have this theory that just because something is humorous, it is instantly considered “less than.” How often are comedies nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards? Melissa McCarthy’s nomination for her side-splitting role in Bridesmaids caused quite a stir. Why? Was it not a brilliant performance? Does she not deserve accolades for her talent? No. Because it was funny. And we all know, if something’s funny, then it can’t be important. Especially if it was a woman who made us laugh. (But that’s an argument for another day!)
I happen to love comedy. And when it comes to reading materials, it’s pretty much all I can stomach. I have one of those minds that absorbs and internalizes everything. So, reading a depressing memoire, which aside from Jen Lancaster’s, they pretty much all are, I nearly collapse into a state of deep remorse, unable to shake the misery of someone else’s tragic life. Thus, I choose to read Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction almost exclusively.
This is not to say that Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction don’t cover serious topics. Many do. The difference is, you don’t feel like slitting your wrists at the end. At least I don’t. I can handle any subject matter you throw at me, just deliver it with a wisecrack and a happy ending, and I can close the book knowing that all is okay in my world.
In a time when the evening news is filled with real life tragedies, both at home and abroad, I need to escape into a world where happy endings do exist. Where I can forget about the 10 car pile-up that killed dozens just yesterday morning. Or the fact that young men and women die in combat fighting a war they don’t understand. Or that children across the globe go to sleep hungry every night. In a world where tragedy is an everyday occurrence, I need to laugh and to love and to hope for better days ahead. Even if it is all fiction, its impact on my heart is real. And I’m a better person, a happier person because of it.
Ciao,
Lucie
I can’t deny that Hamlet is one of the greatest tragedies every written, but let’s not forget that Shakespeare was considered low brow in his day. Appealing to the masses with sex, violence, and bawdy humor, his plays were often considered a guilty pleasure. Yet today, we hold up the Bard’s work as literary masterpieces, and indeed they are. But not because everybody dies at the end. Because his stories were rich with drama, humor, suspense and damn entertaining.
I studied drama in college, which covered everything from Eurpides to Eugene O’Neill. And you know what? There were a lot of happy endings and humorous, “pastoral” plays mixed in with those great tragic tales. And they were every bit as popular and as revered as the dramas that we now consider superior to comedies.
I have this theory that just because something is humorous, it is instantly considered “less than.” How often are comedies nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards? Melissa McCarthy’s nomination for her side-splitting role in Bridesmaids caused quite a stir. Why? Was it not a brilliant performance? Does she not deserve accolades for her talent? No. Because it was funny. And we all know, if something’s funny, then it can’t be important. Especially if it was a woman who made us laugh. (But that’s an argument for another day!)
I happen to love comedy. And when it comes to reading materials, it’s pretty much all I can stomach. I have one of those minds that absorbs and internalizes everything. So, reading a depressing memoire, which aside from Jen Lancaster’s, they pretty much all are, I nearly collapse into a state of deep remorse, unable to shake the misery of someone else’s tragic life. Thus, I choose to read Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction almost exclusively.
This is not to say that Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction don’t cover serious topics. Many do. The difference is, you don’t feel like slitting your wrists at the end. At least I don’t. I can handle any subject matter you throw at me, just deliver it with a wisecrack and a happy ending, and I can close the book knowing that all is okay in my world.
In a time when the evening news is filled with real life tragedies, both at home and abroad, I need to escape into a world where happy endings do exist. Where I can forget about the 10 car pile-up that killed dozens just yesterday morning. Or the fact that young men and women die in combat fighting a war they don’t understand. Or that children across the globe go to sleep hungry every night. In a world where tragedy is an everyday occurrence, I need to laugh and to love and to hope for better days ahead. Even if it is all fiction, its impact on my heart is real. And I’m a better person, a happier person because of it.
Ciao,
Lucie
Friday, January 20, 2012
Friday Flashback Flick
Welcome to Friday Flashback Flick! I'm going to pick a favorite film from back in the day to highlight each Friday (or as many Fridays as I can remember to do it!), and this week's movie is Chances Are starring Robert Downey Jr., Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O'Neal and Mary Stuart Masterson. If you haven't seen it, you must!
Cybill Shepherd plays a pregnant woman whose husband is killed before their baby is born; once he gets to heaven, he begs for a chance to come back to her and his unborn child. The twist is that he returns in the form of Robert Downey Jr., boyfriend to Cybill's daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson). When the daughter brings him home from college, he gets his memory back--and starts coming on to her mom. And wacky romantic high jinks ensue!
I can't tell you how many times I've seen this film, but it never gets old. Robert Downey Jr. is adorable and Cybil and Ryan are in perfect form. Check it out for a fun trip back to the late eighties!
Ciao,
Lucie
I can't tell you how many times I've seen this film, but it never gets old. Robert Downey Jr. is adorable and Cybil and Ryan are in perfect form. Check it out for a fun trip back to the late eighties!
Ciao,
Lucie
Friday, December 30, 2011
Winning Reads!
2011 hasn’t been an easy year for me. My mom passed away in March at far too young an age and I lost another dearly beloved soul in November. Two terribly sad events in a fairly short time span. So, I’m ready to put this year behind me. But, luckily, there was one part of my life that was very rewarding in 2011. Books! I had some sort of crazy book-winning mojo and ended up with a whopping eleven free books! Below are my winning reads of 2011.
The Orphan Sister by Gwendolen Gross
I was super lucky to get an advanced reader copy of this book from the Goodreads 1st Reads giveaway & wow was it ever good! Right from the first paragraph, I was hooked. Beautiful prose sucked me in and the characters became living breathing human beings I cared about and eagerly wanted to get to know. Dealing with subjects like identity, self-purpose & family secrets, this was a story I could really sink my teeth into. Well-crafted with superior writing style, I highly recommend this book to fans of women's fiction authors such as Sue Miller and Laura Dave. I'm definitely looking forward to Gwendolen Gross' next book!
Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer
I won this book thanks to Book Sparks PR turning me on to the giveaway Liza was having for new Twitter followers. And I’m so glad I did because I really adored this book! Liza captured perfectly the complexities of love, both familial and romantic, and expressed beautifully how one's personal goals can often become muddied and mutate as one grows up. Beautiful story with lots of charm and a heroine I was rooting for from page one.
Good-bye to All That by Margo Candela
Technically, I won this book in 2010, but it was my first, so it deserves a spot on this list. And Margo is a wonderful author whose work I truly admire. And as a resident of Hollywood, I can say with some authority that this book totally captures what real life is like in Tinsel Town. Full of dreams and frustration! I'm actually looking forward to a sequel!
A Summer in Europe by Marilyn Brandt
Thanks to a Girlfriends Book Club giveaway, I got my hands on an Advance Reader Copy of this book. I was terribly excited to win because Marilyn was one of the first friends I made in the Twitter-verse and she is a total sweetie! This novel is a great escape for armchair travelers. I've visited many of the places featured in the book and it was fun to see them through another person's eyes. The trip helps Gwen, the main character, develop & evolve as a person, which is how my own travels affected me. The book moves at a leisurely pace, and there's a romantic element that truly leaves you guessing the whole way through the story.
Build a Man by Talli Roland
Thanks go to the girls at Chick Lit is Not Dead, and of course, Talli Roland, for this fab free book! Talli is fast taking over the Chick Lit scene with three popular books under her belt and a reputation for writing super funny, fabulous stories. So, I was thrilled to get a copy of her latest release. She was also sweet enough to offer her Christmas novella, Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts, as a free download for the holidays, so I snapped that puppy right up, too!
On Folly Beach by Karen White
I have Samantha at Chick Lit Plus to thank for the opportunity to read On Folly Beach. I’ve never read any of Karen White’s books, so this author is totally new to me. But judging by all the 4 star reviews on Goodreads, I’m sure to enjoy it!
Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
I won this book as a raffle prize at the East Valley Authors Annual Writing Retreat where I taught my workshop, Yoga for Writers. I read Meg’s Size 12 is Not Fat a couple years back and loved it. She has such a fun writing style that you can’t help but love, so I’m really looking forward to diving into this one!
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
I was so excited to win this copy of the ever popular Chick Lit author, Emily Giffin, from a giveaway by The Chick Lit Bee. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I haven’t yet read any of Emily’s books. There just isn’t enough time to get to all the books in my TBR list, but I’m pretty sure Emily’s sales are doing just fine without my help. Tee hee!
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
This book was part of my raffle prize at the East Valley Authors retreat and the main reason I sunk all my raffle tickets in the bag for it! I adore Marian Keyes and have read nearly all of her fiction. So, when I saw this was up for grabs, I had to have it! And, lucky me, I got it!
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex
It’s almost ridiculous that I won this book, perhaps even serendipitous. When I was in seventh grade, my English class read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and I absolutely fell in love with it. Since then, I’d watched practically every Dracula movie ever made and even got on a non-Dracula vampire kick for a bit. But after college, I’d had enough of vampires (no Twi-hard here!); however, when I saw this book had come out, I was instantly drawn to it. Despite having ditched fang fables, Dracula still holds a place in my heart. And thanks to a giveaway hosted by steampunk author, Suzanne Lazear, I now have Dracula on my shelf once again.
The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Again, thanks go to The Chick Lit Bee for winning this read. I love the recent trend in Chick Lit stories to feature baking and recipes as part of the heroine’s hobbies and/or professions. And who doesn’t love a good cupcake? In fact, it’s probably due to this wave of food-themed books that I’ve started baking more. That, or Food Network. Either way, it’s all good!
So, how about you? Did you win any books in 2011? Which ones?
Happy New Year!
Lucie
I was super lucky to get an advanced reader copy of this book from the Goodreads 1st Reads giveaway & wow was it ever good! Right from the first paragraph, I was hooked. Beautiful prose sucked me in and the characters became living breathing human beings I cared about and eagerly wanted to get to know. Dealing with subjects like identity, self-purpose & family secrets, this was a story I could really sink my teeth into. Well-crafted with superior writing style, I highly recommend this book to fans of women's fiction authors such as Sue Miller and Laura Dave. I'm definitely looking forward to Gwendolen Gross' next book!
I won this book thanks to Book Sparks PR turning me on to the giveaway Liza was having for new Twitter followers. And I’m so glad I did because I really adored this book! Liza captured perfectly the complexities of love, both familial and romantic, and expressed beautifully how one's personal goals can often become muddied and mutate as one grows up. Beautiful story with lots of charm and a heroine I was rooting for from page one.
Technically, I won this book in 2010, but it was my first, so it deserves a spot on this list. And Margo is a wonderful author whose work I truly admire. And as a resident of Hollywood, I can say with some authority that this book totally captures what real life is like in Tinsel Town. Full of dreams and frustration! I'm actually looking forward to a sequel!
Thanks to a Girlfriends Book Club giveaway, I got my hands on an Advance Reader Copy of this book. I was terribly excited to win because Marilyn was one of the first friends I made in the Twitter-verse and she is a total sweetie! This novel is a great escape for armchair travelers. I've visited many of the places featured in the book and it was fun to see them through another person's eyes. The trip helps Gwen, the main character, develop & evolve as a person, which is how my own travels affected me. The book moves at a leisurely pace, and there's a romantic element that truly leaves you guessing the whole way through the story.
Thanks go to the girls at Chick Lit is Not Dead, and of course, Talli Roland, for this fab free book! Talli is fast taking over the Chick Lit scene with three popular books under her belt and a reputation for writing super funny, fabulous stories. So, I was thrilled to get a copy of her latest release. She was also sweet enough to offer her Christmas novella, Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts, as a free download for the holidays, so I snapped that puppy right up, too!
I have Samantha at Chick Lit Plus to thank for the opportunity to read On Folly Beach. I’ve never read any of Karen White’s books, so this author is totally new to me. But judging by all the 4 star reviews on Goodreads, I’m sure to enjoy it!
I won this book as a raffle prize at the East Valley Authors Annual Writing Retreat where I taught my workshop, Yoga for Writers. I read Meg’s Size 12 is Not Fat a couple years back and loved it. She has such a fun writing style that you can’t help but love, so I’m really looking forward to diving into this one!
I was so excited to win this copy of the ever popular Chick Lit author, Emily Giffin, from a giveaway by The Chick Lit Bee. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I haven’t yet read any of Emily’s books. There just isn’t enough time to get to all the books in my TBR list, but I’m pretty sure Emily’s sales are doing just fine without my help. Tee hee!
This book was part of my raffle prize at the East Valley Authors retreat and the main reason I sunk all my raffle tickets in the bag for it! I adore Marian Keyes and have read nearly all of her fiction. So, when I saw this was up for grabs, I had to have it! And, lucky me, I got it!
It’s almost ridiculous that I won this book, perhaps even serendipitous. When I was in seventh grade, my English class read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and I absolutely fell in love with it. Since then, I’d watched practically every Dracula movie ever made and even got on a non-Dracula vampire kick for a bit. But after college, I’d had enough of vampires (no Twi-hard here!); however, when I saw this book had come out, I was instantly drawn to it. Despite having ditched fang fables, Dracula still holds a place in my heart. And thanks to a giveaway hosted by steampunk author, Suzanne Lazear, I now have Dracula on my shelf once again.
Again, thanks go to The Chick Lit Bee for winning this read. I love the recent trend in Chick Lit stories to feature baking and recipes as part of the heroine’s hobbies and/or professions. And who doesn’t love a good cupcake? In fact, it’s probably due to this wave of food-themed books that I’ve started baking more. That, or Food Network. Either way, it’s all good!
So, how about you? Did you win any books in 2011? Which ones?
Happy New Year!
Lucie
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Holiday Yummy
I'm sharing my favorite holiday recipe at Chick Lit Central today. Stop by and share your favorite holiday food memory for a chance to win a copy of Hollywood Ending.
Happy Holidays!
Lucie
Happy Holidays!
Lucie
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