WiN eMiLy GiFFiN'S HeaRT oF THe MaTTeR!

Win an Autographed Copy of Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter!

Emily's books ARE beautiful, definitely inside and out. From the very first time I laid my eyes on Something Borrowed and the embossed, glittery wedding ring and that rich pastelly pink cover in a Barnes & Nobles, I knew I had found my favorite author. Even before reading her words, even before seeing her author photo, or discovering that she grew up where I live (or at least where I live for the next 24 days).

Queer as it sounds, that is the truth – I actually remember THE moment I saw THAT book in THAT particular B&N and the feelings I had when I saw Something Borrowed (which is now being made into a major motion picture starring some very major actors including Kate Hudson, John Krasinski – swoon! – and Ginnifer Goodwin), and I can’t say I keep in my memory feelings like this about all the books I buy. And, I buy a TON of books.

Then I read it, and then I read Something Blue, and then I met Emily at a reading, and bravely asked during the Q&A what one would have to do to get the advanced reader’s copy of Baby Proof she held in her hands at that podium that very night.

“I’ll mail it to you,” she said.

And you know what? She did. She mailed THAT exact copy to me. She is that kind of awesomeness. She kept her word, and I’d like to say we have become friends. I’ve seen her out at other events, and have had the incredible pleasure of having dinner and margaritas with her. She even sends me sweet notes and darling Christmas cards of her children that I covet.

She is such a good, kind-hearted person, that if you ever get a chance to go to one of her readings, do so, because it will be one of the most fun, inspiring nights ever (especially if you’re a fan, reader and writer!). I’ll be seeing her in a couple of weeks, two nights before I move to Arizona, in fact, and I don’t care if I still have half a house to pack up or a ton of other stuff to do, she means that much that I’m NOT missing her reading of Heart of the Matter!

I’ve done some fun contests for her books in the past, and in honor of Emily’s new book Heart of the Matter, coming out on Tuesday, May 11, I have another one coming your way NOW! Thanks to Emily, I’ll be giving away TWO signed copies here on MaNiC MoMMy this week!

You know the drill – leave me a message — something really good – preferably about how much you love Emily’s books or even if you’ve never read one of her books (WHY HAVEN’T YOU READ ONE YET?) but are dying to, tell me how badly you want to win. Of course, the drawing will be random, and chosen on Monday, May 10!

So, get to the comment section! And Emily, thank you so much for the gift of telling beautiful stories that resonate with women everywhere! If I get a large enough response in the comments, I might even get the MaNiC kids together and do a Booking With Manic video drawing to announce the winners for this one!

Here’s what I thought of Heart of the Matter, and of course, as with all of Emily’s books, I couldn’t put it down, and as with all of her books, they just keep getting better and better!

In Emily Giffin’s latest book, Heart of the Matter, she once again tackles a delicate subject matter in a way that draws the reader in until the very last page. We meet Tessa Russo and her doctor-husband Nick in a seemingly perfect marriage with two perfect children. Yet when Valerie Anderson’s young son is injured in a fire, and plastic surgeon Nick comes to the rescue, not only is young Charlie affected by his bedside manner and charm, but so is Valerie.


The draw of Emily’s writing is that she takes a taboo subject, and twists it in a way to make the reader feel compassion toward every single one of her characters, no matter what the situation, or what kind of wrong they are doing.


While there is a love triangle going on in HOTM – an obvious attraction, physically and emotionally between Nick and Valerie – there is also a deep married love between Tessa and Nick, although something definitely has shifted in the years during their marriage. Can they get that back? Do they want it back? And even though Nick chooses to be unfaithful to Tessa, as a reader, you’ll find yourself feeling compassion for what he is going through. While I read, I wasn’t sure who I wanted him to be with. Emily has a way for making it impossible to find a ‘bad guy’ in her novels.


Surprise characters make an appearance in Heart of the Matter and I couldn’t help but feel like old friends were visiting! I loved this part very much and felt a sense of “Aww, how very cool is that!” when I discovered this very well kept secret! Readers will LOVE this ‘little gift’ that Emily offers up!


Heart of the Matter is a completely satisfying novel; one that will make the reader wonder about the frailty of all relationships - who does the pushing and who does the pulling? Is Tess purposely shoving her spouse away, unhappy with herself and trying to find a happiness that might not exist? Is either party the cause or the blame? You may ask yourself, “is a one-time sex act worse than a long-time love affair,” and if you had to answer these questions, would you rather your husband have a meaningless one-night stand without attachment; would you easily forgive, be able to forget, and let go?


And with the divorce rate so high, are these the type of questions that many of us will have to face as we navigate our way through relationships, marriages, the stress of jobs, family and children?


Emily Giffin brings the subject of infidelity to us in a heartfelt and touching story, with compassion and grace, only as Emily can do.

To follow all the details of Emily’s book tour and movie news, check out http://www.emilygiffin.com/.

And right now, head on over the the comment section, leave a note on why you love Emily’s books, or why you want to win, or why you came to this blog, anything will do, and you’ll be entered to win one of TWO signed copies of Emily Giffin’s Heart of the Matter! Please make sure to leave an email address in the comment section and also check back as winners will be announced on Monday, May 10!

PeaCe uP!

WHERE WE BELONG by Emily Giffin

Winner announced here!

Where We Belong

Emily Giffin

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Well, it's here, another long-awaited Emily Giffin book! Waiting for an Emily Giffin book is like waiting for your very own birthday or for Christmas or for your summer vacation. It's just one of those things that as a reader, I anticipate now every year as something to be really excited about. And unlike birthdays, for me anyway, Emily's books do keep getting better year after year! Haha! (not that my birthdays are terrible, but getting older is not always the most fun thing to do. Getting a new Emily Giffin book however, is the most fun thing to do!).

I remember the first time I saw Something Borrowed in the store. It was the shiny pink and diamond embossed cover that got my attention, and then, like probably most of you, I was hooked with her endearing loveable characters, even difficult Darcy. 

I followed Emily and since I lived in what was once her hometown, I was fortunate to get to meet her at some signings. The first time I met her at a reading, she was sharing stories about SoBo and SoBlue, but I noticed her third book up on the podium. When she asked if there were any questions in the audience (which back then, it was held at the library where her mother worked and there were about 20 of us in attendance!), I boldly asked her, "What does one have to do to get that copy of that book right there?" and I pointed to her ARC of Baby Proof. 

She kind of smiled at me and said, "Email me and I'll send it to you."

She's just that cool of an author, and I emailed her and she sent me her original ARC of Baby Proof. 

The next time I saw her was at an Aurora Lit Fest and my dearest bestest friend Swishy was with me, and we hung out with Emily, and when she went up on stage, she asked us to hold her sweater. OK, we were giddy with excitement. Would we hold Emily Giffin's sweater!??!!

YES. We would. 

Because we were her original fans. 

That day she shared secrets with us on how to pose for best-ever photographs and told us about a reader who didn't care for her books because they were too "matchy-matchy." 

Later that year when she came back to town and did a bigger event, she invited me out for dinner and margaritas. What kind of author takes the time to make a fan feel THAT special? She's truly unique. The night before I moved from the Chicago area to Arizona she had a signing. I made sure I was there to let her know how much she and her books meant to me so I went there with my copy of Heart of the Matter. She knew I was moving away and leaving the very next day and she let me cut in front of everyone.

 

As an author, she means the world to me. She's inspiring, kind and good-hearted. I also consider her a true friend of mine. 

And now she's got a trillion fans and a trillion of followers but Emily makes time for so many of them, and she reaches out to them and is kind enough to share her life with them on Facebook and Twitter and she's doing it here today by giving away a copy of her latest, Where We Belong.

I'm so happy that I get to share her latest novel with you all!

Emily Giffin’s books unfold like a slow satisfying meal – one that you don’t want to end – but one that you can’t wait to get to the dessert. Where We Belong is one of those books where you can’t wait to find out how it ends but you also want to prolong the reading for the pure enjoyment of Emily’s words.

The summer Marian graduates from high school, she has a summer romance with sort-of-rebel-outsider musician and fellow classmate Conrad Knight, who she has known since sixth grade, and discovers that he is the love of her life. She knows he is not going to college and she is, and that their summer will only be that – a summer romance.

When she ends up pregnant, and he tells her that he loves her, she commits the biggest of lies and decides (out of love for him maybe, or fear for her own future – that’s for you, the reader, to decide!) to tell him that she is actually NOT pregnant.

Marian breaks things off from Conrad, takes a year off from college, has the baby, gives her up for adoption, then goes to college and goes on with her life, to become a famous TV producer.

Fast-forward 18 years and she’s in a committed and loving relationship with Peter, the CEO of her network, and hoping to get married and start a family of her own. Her television show is doing great, she lives in NY and life couldn’t be more perfectly scripted. 

Then Kirby Rose lands at her doorstep.

Kirby has never really fit in with her family – her perfect younger sister and her boisterous dad and protective mother. She’s always been a bit of a loner who loves playing the drums. After she turns 18, she decides to find her birth mother. 

When she heads to NY to meet Marian, Kirby will turn Marian’s world inside-out. Kirby has been Marian’s best kept secret, and only her mother knew that Marian had a daughter she gave up for adoption. This secret (or lie, as Marian’s boyfriend neatly points out) will bring to light the fact that keeping Kirby a secret was wrong on so many levels. 

There are layers to Where We Belong and surprises along the way that will keep the reader enthralled throughout. You will root for Kirby the whole way through, and find her endearing and brave. I can see how Marian made some of the decisions she made, and I was very sympathetic toward her. In fact, Emily writes all of her characters so that there is no one ‘bad guy’ and you will feel for each and every character, from Marian to Kirby’s adoptive  parents; and even Marian’s own mother, who while you might not like her very much, you will understand why she acts the way she does.

One caveat: As with all Emily’s leading men, you will fall in love with both Peter and Conrad – she writes such sexy men in such diverse ways. 

I have to say I closed the book and wondered where life was about to take some of these characters I had really come to care about. One thing I knew for absolute certain was that Kirby was going to be absolutely, 100-percent OK, and that made for a completely happy ending. After all, there would be no story had there been no Kirby.

I also think that Emily put her heart and soul into this book, as she has with her others, but in the case of Where We Belong, I think it will inspire people who have been adopted or even women who have given up babies to search for their biological children. And if Where We Belong brings a happy ending to even just one family who has felt the need to search, then that is an incredible gift of this book. 

Phew, this was one of the most emotional posts I've written. If you'd like to win a copy of Where We Belong, tell me about a time in your life where you've felt the most like you've belonged. It could be a moment, or an age, or an event, or a celebration … just somewhere or some time when you felt completely encompassed in the feeling of belonging!

And thanks Emily, for quitting being a lawyer! But also, it's time you come to Arizona for a book tour.

XO

Important note: 

Next week there will be a HUGE one-day book giveaway with 10 BOOKS BEING GIVEN AWAY IN ONE BOOK POST -- DON'T MISS IT! 

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please use an identifying name and it's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will highlight the winner's name at the top of this post. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

Hanging with Emily Giffin, For Reals

So, I had a date with Emily Giffin the other night. OK, so it was me and like 150 others, but still, I was there, at Anderson's in Naperville, to see Emily, but like, she KNEW I was coming, and I got there 15 minutes before the event, and DRAT! I am always, always running late LOATHE being late, but this time it actually worked in my favor cuz all the seats were taken so I just sidled (is that a real word?) up to the front corner and stood there. Like I owned the place. Like I was Ms. Anderson myself. Ha. I don't even know if there is a Mr. Anderson or not, but still.

So, my heart's all a flutter, cuz it's like Emily Giffin, my fave, and everyone else there is probably having heart flutter feelings too, but mine are different cuz mine are more real than anyone else's and they don't know her like I KNOW HER! They don't know that Emily and I have a shared history!

And get this. She walks in. There's a crowd of people. She looks FABULOUS in a gorgeous dress and you'd NEVER even guess that she has borne (born? bored? birthed, yeah, let's just go with birthed) a baby girl less than a year ago, and she walks through the store and sees me, and yes, she gives me a smile. And a wave. And ... and, yes, she says, "Hey Stephanie!" Like she's EXCITED that I'M THERE! TO SEE HER!!!

And I could JUST see like 80 heads turn in my direction as I whisper-smile-wave back, "Hey Emily!" I'm giddy just revisiting the whole experience! So she goes back to get ready for her reading and a couple people ask me if I know her and how do I know her and I think about it. Do I say, "Oh, I stalked her once" or do I say, "We know each other from online and from book readings" or do I say, "We're writer friends" ... who the eff knows? I don't know. So I go with the casual cool, "Oh, we know each other from some writer festivals and things." Ha, so then THEY think I'm really cool and possibly a famous writer myself. HA, again, just kiddin' in the event Emily reads this. I'm cracking myself up. God, it's good to be able to feel jokey and laughy again.

Emily comes out and tells a great story about how everyone thinks about the one that got away, and how her BFF (no, not ME, the OTHER BFF--her college BFF) was in love with Jeanne Pierre, this hottie French dude and she was thinking back to those times, and Emily just happen to be in France so she looked up JP (short for Jeanne Pierre for those of you short on brain cells today) ... and Emily spied for her friend and found out he was married to some big old French chick in an apron yielding a rolling pin living in a hut with chickens and scraggly kids all over the place. And JP wasn't looking too hot these days. So, that's the type of good friend Emily is. She goes the extra mile in FRANCE no less, to prove to her OTHER BFF that the one that got away was the one that SHOULDA got away cuz he was a scumbag gross dude. And he probably smelled too.

Then she did a great reading, and I video-taped part of it, but didn't put it on youtube, and I respect Emily's privacy so no video, but pictures later. After the reading, which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE hearing authors read from their own work btw ... I love wondering what they'll read, wondering WHY they've chosen what they've read. I love listening to the inflection of their voices as they read. Emily did not disappoint.

During question time, I always like to try to ask some poignant, thought-provoking question that will WOW not only the audience but also the author of the book as well. Maybe it's the interviewer in me? After giving it some serious thought, I came up with a very unique question for the lovely Emily, and when she saw my hand flailing frantically trying to get her attention politely and timidly lifted, she actually called me by name, further cementing our long-lived best-friendshipness:

"Stephanie?"

Again, stunned audience members were shocked to be witness to a friend of Emily's in such close proximity!

"Emily," I asked, with a dramatic pause for effect, "When did you discover that you and your main character share the same initials?"

Her perfectly plucked brows lifted, and she smiled. "Right now," she answered, quite charmed by my insight.

I silently applauded my genius. And then Emily told everyone about the blog contest on Manic Mommy and how cute the video was of the kids. Too bad I didn't come with a large supply of Manic Mommy magnets. Damn, sometimes I am just NOT on my game.

Then, the signing began. And Emily's hand must still hurt. She signed and signed and signed. And some people had the nerve to ask the booksellers to just have Emily sign their books and they would come back for them the next day as they were going out for dinner. HOW RUDE! I told Emily later she should have signed their books, "Dear Cate, Hope you enjoyed your dinner. Sorry you couldn't stay to watch me sign your book. Yours truly, Emily."

Why would you go to an author book signing and then LEAVE DURING IT to go eat? Seriously? Now that I think of it, and of course, I am too classy to have suggested this to Emily, but if it would have been MY book I was signing and I had fans who wanted MY book signed, but THEY had LEFT to go EAT, well, then, I think that maybe on page number 73 or so, I might have just spit in between the pages or something. Maybe.

So, there was this one chick there, who was quite the avid Emily fan, I'll give her props, even wearing a Matchy-Matchy green shirt to go with the book cover, which was quite cute, and I liked this girl because she got her top from Macy's (on sale, she told me) and also, her coat was from Target, which was also cute.

But then she started acting all "Emily-know-it-all" and I just had to shoot her down a little, you know, bring her back to earth. Show her who's up and up on the Em-Trivia.

So, she started doing a bit o' braggin' and then I went with the, "Yeah, well, did you know she named the latest main character after me cuz my middle name is Ellen?"

So then SHE goes, "Yeah, well my name is Rachel Darcy!" (For those of you goofs under a rock not quite educated in the world of Giffin, those are the first two characters of Something Borrowed and Something Blue.

So THEN I went with this one ... think of this as a tennis match and me scoring BIG on this point-set-match-love-rebound or whatever it means to score big in tennis, cuz then I pulled out this one: "Oh yeah, well, my children are named Edward, George and Harriet!"

She gets this blank look on her face and actually says, "Who're they?"

DUH! Who's the Emily fan now beeeeyotch!? Those are HER children!

And of course, then she and her friends all found out that I was going out with Emily after the signing.

Uh HUH! Yes I did!


And it was so fun. And she's so cool, and I cannot reveal anything that would incriminate my client (ha, funny cuz Emily USED to be a lawyer, and that just makes me laugh!) Since she is from the area, some of her fun pals from high school, whom I originally thought one guy, Jim, was her hubby, and Michelle, was her sister, and I actually accosted them in the bookstore, because, that's just what I do. A book signing for me is like a rock-n-roll concert, only without the spilled beer and smell of marijuana permeating through the air.

OK, I just reread that sentence and now I'm starting to sound drunk and stoned so let's backtrack ... or Fast-forward or something ....

So, we went out for margaritas and some food, and hung out and laughed and dude, it was fun, and Emily's great, and her friends were great and fun and funny, and this is just how cool Emily is ... she took a taxi back to Chicago. She is so nice that she didn't make her driver hang out and wait all night for her and then she gets in a crap-taxi to drive her all the way back to Chicago. Of course, I had to read the dude the riot act, and perform some DNA tests on the taxi before I let her get into it, but the guy seemed nice enough so I let her go.



Emily ... you did make it back to Chicago, didn't ya? You do know you've got two more books to write that you're contracted for? You've got a couple more lame titles to come up with and I think some more matchy-matchy pastel book covers -- peach and periwinkle this time right?

Keep it real! And hey you, anyone out there who HASN'T read these amazing books--WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?!?!? And hey, check out her TOUR DATES AND LOCATIONS... she is the friendliest author and she'll pose for all sorts of photos and if you tell her Manic Mommy sent you, well, then, well, I don't know, she might actually run from you screaming, but still ...

Contest Time: LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH

****UPDATE: Request from Emily--She has asked that if you get a chance, please check out her website and her TOUR DATES HERE! (And she's got some cool giveaways too-just sign up for her newsletter!) She'll be in a lot of different cities and may be visiting your town! She said she wants to meet cool people! ... NOW, on with the contest!

This one is a BIGGIE for me! And I'm so excited to be able to offer a chance for FOUR of you to win AUTOGRAPHED copies of Emily Giffin's new book, Love The One You're With.

Here are some photos of MY Emily Giffin book collection, and yes, I would grab these suckers in the event of a fire (after pulling my three children out of course) ...





You'll notice the copy of Baby Proof is not a hardcover but is actually an ARC of the book, which in industry terms means Advanced Reader Copy. This copy was EMILY'S COPY. I mean, she READ that copy. After she was done speaking when I first went to see her, she asked the audience, very charmingly, "Are there any questions?"

My heart was pumping furiously and I was scared to death to ask the question I had on my mind, but I did it ... I blurted out:

"What does one have to do to get a copy of THAT book!?" And I pointed right at THAT BOOK she had on the podium. Because since it was an ARC, the book was not coming out for like two months, and she wasn't even promoting Baby Proof at that point. I think she was promoting Something Blue at that time.

She laughed and actually said, "I'll mail it to you."

WHAT?

So, she did! How amazingly cool is that for a bestselling author to just mail her copy of her ARC to a fan when it wasn't even coming out for a couple of months? Who would DO THAT? An awesome person would, that's who!

Here's a picture of my writer friend Elyce, Emily and me (or is it I?)


Then Swish and I saw Emily at the Midwest Literary Festival and we were like her front-row posse and before she took to the stage, she left her sweater with us, and Swish and I wondered if we snagged Emily's sweater and put it up on eBay, how much could we get for it, or if we put it on, would we have the Emily Giffin muse? But, we didn't steal Emily's sweater for two reasons: 1. That would be wrong. 2. It would never fit me!

Swish, Emily, me at the Midwest Literary Fest.
Emily told us that when we smile we should touch our tongue to the back of our teeth or the roof of our mouth to make the smile look real. Apparently, I did whatever the wrong thing was in this photo!

OK, enough about me and my love for Emily and her books! Here's your shot to win an autographed copy of LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH!

Leave a comment telling me why you LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH. And who says it has to be a spouse/partner/lover? Could be a friend, co-worker, blog-pal, parent, pet, barista, UPS guy, whomever!

OR, tell me a story about a time when you had a run-in like the one Emily writes about in her first chapter. My good friend Sharon just had a run-in with her ex from 20 years ago, and she just called me screaming, "I AM SO GOING TO WIN THAT BOOK!" How random that she reads Emily's first chapter about running into the ex, and she JUST ran into the guy who sent her a container of all green M&Ms when we were in college. Thank God she looked hot. Thank God her hubby was there and he looked hot too! Thank God her ex is not looking so hot now!

So, tell me a story -- One about why you LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH or what happened when you ran into the one you thought was THE ONE.

BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY IN YOUR ENTRY! Because as long as you leave ANY kind of answer (not perverted or inappropriate, of course because we here at Manic Mommy are NEVER perverted or inappropriate!), you'll be entered to win a copy of the book because I'll be choosing winners at RANDOM a la a Booking With Manic drawing on Monday, May 12.

You have until Sunday night, May 11, to leave an answer to be entered to win a book. And make 'em good, cuz Emily will be reading them too! But don't worry, it's all RANDOM!

So, dish it my friends!

EMILY GIFFIN Signed Copies of WHERE WE BELONG & SO MUCH MORE!!!

Winners announced (see next post for details):

*Lizett Torres (lizette34)

*Absolutahnie

*A.C.

*Bookaholic (aka pigsrcute)

*Na S. (Cambonified)

 

Let's Celebrate Spring and Books & Fabulous Authors!

We've got some great things happening at Booking with Manic today, first and foremost, we are giving away FIVE SIGNED COPIES of Emily Giffin's book WHERE WE BELONG which is out now in paperback!

THERE. IS. MORE...

How is THAT for exciting! I am also kicking off this giveaway with a brand-new segment I'll be adding to all the features called THESE THREE THINGS (Triple Tees), in which the authors will share something personal either about themselves or their book.

Here are Emily's "Triple Tees!" and they all have to do with her book, WHERE WE BELONG:

So, take it away Emily!

1.  The original working title for the book was SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE, which was my favorite option! Ultimately, my publisher shot it down because of the Kelly Clarkson song, and I've since come around to WHERE WE BELONG (SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE just doesn't sound right anymore!)...

2.  There is a very brief shout-out tucked into the book to my high school (and early college) boyfriend -- the only time I've ever directly referenced a past relationship of mine in one of my books. Incidentally, we are still great friends and he is a TV writer out in Hollywood who provided a lot of advice and professional insights into Marian's career.

3.  Marian's high school character is, in part, based on a girl I was friendly with in high school, who went through something very similar before graduation. How she chose to deal with the situation is reflected in Marian's choices in the book, though they are not perfectly identical (thankfully!). I've always both admired and wondered about how she cameto the decision she did, which is something I really wanted to explore with Marian's character. If you read the book, you'll know what I mean!

Thank you so much Emily for sharing a bit more about your personal experience with writing Where We Belong in the very first segment of THESE THREE THINGS!

Along with FIVE winners receiving WHERE WE BELONG SIGNED COPIES, each of those winners will also receive an e-book copy of WHAT SHE LEFT US, my newly released book. (of course I have to pimp it, right?) And if you already bought it, well THANK YOU, and in that case, you may choose an e-book of that same cost on amazon, and I'll send that one to you instead!

But THERE'S MORE! (Of course there is because I'm MANIC!)

These five winners will ALSO each receive books from these amazing authors in their batch of book goodness:

 Amy Hatvany

Gwendolyn Gross
Anita Hughes
Katherine Center

The lucky FIVE winners will ALSO get some surprise books from some of these authors and they will be mix-and-match, so you won't know which books I'll send to you:

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Leslie Daniels, Bethenny Frankel, Susan McBride, Hilary Reyl, , Patricia Harman, B.A.Shapiro, JillKargman, Julie Klam, Erin Duffy, Kristyn Kusek Lewis, Natasha Solomons and more.

So to recap, FIVE winners will receive a SIGNED copy of Emily Giffin's WHERE WE BELONG and either my new book, WHAT SHE LEFT US or another same priced e-book. AND, each of you will also get books from Amy Hatvany, Gwendolyn Gross, Anita Hughes, and Katherine Center! Plus in your prize pack, you will get a random selection of books from other authors listed above plus some more that I haven't even named here!

So, who wants to win some great books? Here's what you'll have to do…

TO GET ONE ENTRY: Enter HERE in the comments by just typing "EG ROCKS" and leave your email address or make sure you leave an identifying original name/contact info.

GET ADDITIONAL ENTRY BY TWEETING (just copy and paste this tweet):

@emilygiffin @stephanieelliot Win signed copies of Emily Giffin WHERE WE BELONG & other great books here! http://www.manicmommy.blogspot.com

GET THIRD ENTRY BY SHARING THIS BLOG POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE and MAKE SURE TO tag me and Emily (if you and I are not friends, friend me at https://www.facebook.com/StephanieSteinElliot)

You can only enter a grand total of THREE times (on blog, by tweeting and via FB. Tweeting or extra FB shares do not get you more entries, but ARE very much appreciated! :)

Sound easy!?!? It's SOOO easy, and so much fun! Jump on it folks, there are so many great books out there waiting for homes! And thank you so much for stopping by Booking with Manic!

If you have ANY questions, leave them here in the comment section. You must come back to the blog to see if you've won - I will list winners in a separate post during the week of April 29!

Thank you to Emily, Amy, Gwendolen, Anita, Katherine, (Stephen & Kate too, and everyone else's awesome publicists) for making this giveaway possible and to all of the great authors who write the wonderful books I'm able to share here on Booking with Manic! You're all amazing and I'm so grateful I get to give books to everyone -- I LOVE doing this! 

Some small but important details you should probably read:
If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

EMILY GIFFIN PRIZE PACKAGE!

Winner Announced!

Congrats to:

A.C. Morris

You've been coming here every single day in March so far and it's paid off! You're getting all five of Emily's books and I'm going to send you some cashola to see Something Borrowed when it comes out on May 6, along with some of your favorite movie candy! So congrats to you (Man, I wanted THIS ONE! Hahah!) so, send me your full name along with your mailing address so you can get your prize! And don't worry everyone, there are still SO MANY more FABULOUS authors to come! There are ELEVEN days in March left PLUS, I've got some EXTRA authors who wanted to be a part of this, so we're heading into April for this one!

Emily had me at hello. She just did. I love her more than anything. Since I lived in her hometown, I had the pleasure of meeting her a bunch of times. She sent me her very own ARC of Baby Proof just because I was nervy enough to ask, I've been out to dinner with her, she taught me how to smile properly (touch the back of your teeth or the roof of your mouth with your tongue as the camera clicks), and she let me cut in line in front of everyone the day before I had to move from Chicago to Scottsdale! I truly consider her a friend. I hope she says the same of me.

I think she treats everyone she meets the same. She's kind and gracious and such a talented author, but you all already know that. And when I asked her if she'd like to participate in the Book-A-Day Giveaway, she said I could offer anything I wanted. So, I figured you guys would want it all, right? So, that's what you're getting. ALL OF EMILY's BOOKS.

PART ONE:

To win Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You're With and Heart of the Matter, all you have to do is leave a comment here on something pertaining to why you love Emily Giffin, because I've already told you why I love her. Or why you love her books. Or why you would LOVE to READ her books.

So that's PART ONE.

PART TWO:
Part Two is a little bit more intense, and you don't have to play along if you don't wanna win part two. Up to you.

Emily's first book, SOMETHING BORROWED is coming out on the BIG SCREEN (May 6th!), starring Kate Hudson, John Krasinski, Ginnifer Goodwin and Colin Egglesfield.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT!



I wanted to kick in a little something more so here's the second part of this giveaway:

--Go over to Emily's site and sign up for her e-newsletter here. You'll get a sneak peek at her amazing upcoming book WHERE WE BELONG if you sign up, and it's AWESOME! I'm already in love with her hottie guy character, Peter. And you'll also get exciting movie news in the e-newsletter too.

--At Emily's website, you'll find the answers to these two questions that I would like you to answer. I'm going to 'moderate' these questions in the comments section so no one can see the answers right away, but I'll make them all live after the qualification time is over, which you will have until Friday, March 18, 5:00 p.m., to answer.

1. What is the title of the young adult book Emily wrote before she wrote Something Borrowed that was never published?

2. In one of Emily's books, there is a main character with the same initials as Emily. What is that character's name. And what is that book? P.S. Emily didn't even know this until I told her!

If you answer these two questions correctly and within the timeframe, you will also be entered to win two movie tickets to SOMETHING BORROWED and I'll also send you your choice of candy for the movies if you're brave enough to sneak it in!

So, let's all get your Emily Thinking Caps on! Get on over to her site and sign up for her e-newsletter here and then find those EASY-PEASY answers and drop me a comment! Let me know why you wanna win ALL FIVE of Emily's fantastic books!

Thanks for taking the time to read this post! I know it was a long one! And good luck to each and every one of you!

Love ya Emily, and if you don't get your arse out to Scottsdale for your next book tour, we are THAH-ROOOO! xo

(If that wasn't enough for ya, you can scroll at your leisure through all of this to read my previous posts about my antics with eg!)

PeaCe uP!

NOTE: Comment moderation is on, not to worry, your comments will be posted and accepted after the deadline time but do check back to confirm you are listed for the book drawing over the weekend!

ANOTHER NOTE: OK, SCREW IT! I'm too lazy to monitor comments and you all clearly know the answers anyway, and if you don't you can are lucking out now. Put the answers in the comment section along with why you love EG and you'll be entered for the movie prize package as well. eg would want it this way. BUT, go sign up for her e-newsletter too! xoxo


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Emily's books! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

MoRe eXCiTiNG eMiLy GiFFiN NeWs aND BeST FRienDS FoReVeR WiNNeR!

Am very excited to announce the winner of Jennifer Weiner's Best Friends Forever and the copy goes to Shannyn over at Pretty Distraction. My totally random way of choosing the winner went like this: I counted how many entries I had and then yelled to Mr. Manic, "Hey, pick a number one through 32. He did, and then I counted through the entries backward till I got to that number and that's how I came up with Shannyn's name. So congrats to Shannyn! Send me your address and I'll mail you your book!

You may also know that I've got another big giveaway going on in ManicLand and that is that we're giving away TWO autographed copies of Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter which will be released in JUST SIX DAYS! I know you are all excited because how can you not be? And judging by the buzz and the comments you've all left, it's just been amazing! You can still enter to win but you can only enter once, but here's what I'm going to do: When I go see Emily on May 26, I'm going to buy an extra book and have her sign that extra book so I can give away THREE autographed copies NOW! Because there are so many of you who want to win and I just want to share the Emily love and because Emily has been so good to me!

On a personal note, things have been so crazy around here, with my family moving from Chicago to Scottsdale in just 24 days, and focusing on this contest has been such a TERRIFIC distraction! I come to my computer and read all these wonderful comments and feel a camaraderie with all of you because I know EXACTLY how you feel about Emily's books. It's amazing how one person's words can affect all of us; how we all come from different families, lifestyles, backgrounds, yet Emily can bring us all together with her stories. Emily's books are a beautiful (I don't want to say break or respite, there's got to be a more colorful descriptive word) vacation for the mind (that doesn't do them justice either), and her characters truly live on with us.

So, thanks for stopping by, for giving me a break from my insomnia and decluttering, my emotional breakdowns (while infrequent, they still come), my worries about what lies ahead, and the general stress of organizing my family of five for an unknown future ahead. While I am pretty sure it's going to be a fabulous experience, I always look to the magic of books to escape and give me a relief from the daily angst and we all know we can find this in Emily's books.

So, check back on Monday for the big announcement, and if you've not yet entered, you can still do so right here! DO NOT ENTER ON THIS POST - YOU WILL NOT QUALIFY TO WIN EMILY'S BOOK IF YOU LEAVE A COMMENT HERE - YOU MUST GO TO THE ORIGINAL POST TO COMMENT TO BE ENTERED! THANKS!

All the luck and love in the world!

PeaCe uP!

~MaNiC MoMMy

BooKiNG WiTH MaNiC

Books! Books! Books! Tons of book recommendations!

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about books here and I’m sure you don’t want to hear about how the minivan broke, how the bed broke (you DEFINITELY don’t want to hear about how the bed broke), how the garage door broke, how I cried in the parking lot of a Jack in the Box (thank you Melisa at Suburban Scrawl for yanking me off the ledge after my desperate Tweets!), and how the kids are managing this week at day camp.

That stuff is boring and filled with self-pity. Besides, I'm saving those stories for my memoir, tentatively titled: A Midwestern Mom’s Scottsdale Struggles Among Boobs and Botox: Manic Mommy Finds her way home to a place she never expected.

Instead, today I thought I’d share with you some of the books I’ve recently read and some of the books I have in my ever-growing TBR pile. That’s a lot more fun anyway, right? RIGHT!

Now that I’m here in AZ trying to get acclimated, I am hoping to find the time to get to these books soon. If you haven’t heard of them yet, check them out on amazon.com or your nearest bookstore! And settle in because there are a LOT on this list, and apologies if I’ve forgotten some of you because I’m still in the “I’ve just moved” stage and there are still boxes in the hallway, so email me if I haven’t given you your well-deserved shout-out!

Let’s get started, shall we?

My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

First up, the other night I finally finished My Fair Lazy! And when I say FINALLY, it wasn’t because it was hard to get through, because Jen Lancaster’s books are never a difficult read. I love her books. It was just with the move, it was hard for me to find time to settle in and grab some time to read, and when I did, I was so zonked I could only manage a short time before I crashed hard. But Jen’s “culture-up manifesto” had me laughing about all her JENaissance excursions. From “eating the world,” checking out live theater (where there were nekkid people!) to wine and cheese tastings, and reading classic literature and discovering a fondness for poetry (I NEVER knew e.e.cummings was a GUY!), Jen takes her readers on a laugh-out-loud journey like only she can! I do have one question for her though … Who is Eliza Doolittle? Seriously! Maybe I need the culturing up!

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

By now, everyone knows I have a strong affinity for Emily and her books. I’ve already done a review for Heart of the Matter but in case you haven’t read it yet, it’s worth another mention here. Heart of the Matter deals with tough subject matters like infidelity, single parenthood, working vs. staying at home, and the delicacy of marriage. You’ll find, as in all of Giffin’s novels, you won’t know who to root for in this complicated and heartfelt novel. Beautifully written, as always.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

Fly Away Home is not yet out but this upcoming novel by Jennifer Weiner will be available July 13! It’s being described as “hilarious, heartbreaking, and insightful” and features a sister duo (I love Weiner’s books with sister combos!) and a politician’s wife/mom. The three women take refuge at the family beach house after Dad’s extramarital affair makes headlines. And yes, there will be more on Fly Away Home on MaNiC MoMMy including a book giveaway so stay tuned!

Sleepwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock

So here’s the crazy thing about this author. I have two of her other books, Me & Emma, and also But Inside I’m Screaming, and I’ve not yet read either of them. I don’t know why! Every single one of Flocks’ books intrigues me and I buy them whenever I see a new one published. So, I picked up Sleepwalking in Daylight, which is about a bored SAHM in a boring marriage, and her 17-year-old adopted daughter. Daughter discovers she is adopted and goes on a search for her birth mother, and Mother discovers she’s bored and goes on a search for coffee dates with handsome stranger. Sounds like the making of a great book, doesn’t it? I can’t wait to read this one.

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

I picked this book up at Jen Lancaster’s book signing because it was front and center, and because I am a sucker for any book about the college experience. I think I just want to see if my college experience was right on target with the fictional ones others write about. And while I didn’t know anyone in college named Celia, Bree, Sally or April, nor did I show up to college with a bottle of vodka in my suitcase, my parents did send me off with a case of Stroh’s Light (the 30-pack edition), so I’m thinking maybe my college experience and the book may have some common thread? And I did have a college roomie who pined for the guy she left behind but then she wised up, got rid of him, and had the time of her life. And it’s a good thing she did because she’s since seen him ‘round town and her now-husband and her kids all call him a big dork. So yep, that’s the reasoning behind why I’m excited to read Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan – definitely a book right up my alley! Except, I just checked out more about the book and realized it’s set at Smith College, which is an all-girl’s college, but hey, I went to an all-girls Catholic school in ninth grade, so maybe I can relate? We’ll see!

Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell

Of course, this is a must-read because 1.) Emily Giffin praised it, and 2.) Irene has written for People magazine so you know some of the fiction she writes has got to be bits of truth! Pieces is about Alice, a former New Yorker, who is suddenly displaced when her husband moves their family to CA … (hmm… this sounds vaguely like my life – insert Chicago / Scottsdale). There is an affair, tabloids (this is where the People magazine info may come in handy?), and the Sexiest Woman Alive. From all that, there’s got to be some Pieces of Happily Ever After right? I’m dying to find out!

The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch

The One That I Want is another that I’ve already reviewed but hey, Allison’s my friend, this is my blog and I’ll pimp if I wanna. Since I’ve already told everyone how I adore Allison and her books I’m going to instead share something very interesting that I’ve discovered about Allison’s characters. In Department of Lost & Found, the main character is Natalie Miller. In Time of My Life, the main character is Jillian Westfield. In The One That I Want, the main character is Tilly Farmer. Do you see a trend here? All of Allison’s characters have a Double L in their name, and so does Allison! Yep, I am sleuth-tastic, aren’t I? I asked Allison about this once, and I think she said it wasn’t intentional. Am dying to know her next character’s name! So yes, go out and pick up Allison’s latest, The One That I Want, and while you’re at it, get both of her others too! You will thank me.

The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen

I did crack this one open and am not stopping – The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen, which is about two totally different twins, is completely enthralling me for two reasons. No, I am not a twin, but I am an Irish Twin. My sister and I are 11-1/2 months apart, which means we are both the same age for 2 weeks every year. We were not that competitive growing up, and I am the older sibling, but there were some instances where she excelled and I did not. Take 8th grade and 7th grade. I didn’t make cheerleading. Take my Senior Prom. She went to MINE. I didn’t. So the theory behind The Opposite of Me very much intrigues me. The other reason is I went to college with two completely different twins, one of whom I am still very best friends with, the other with whom we have all been estranged from, including her own twin sister. It’s disheartening to think twin sisters could have a bond broken, and I’m so interested to see where this book and its story will take me.

Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski

Not Ready for Mom Jeans is the follow-up to Lipinski’s hilarious debut Bump in the Road. And it’s quite funny (to me anyway) that Maureen’s sequel came out at a time where it should be called, Not Ready for Maternity Jeans (Again!) as the books’ debut coincides with Maureen's second pregnancy. Before I moved, I had the pleasure to get together with Maureen and I can’t tell you how totally insecure I was – after all, I was picking her up in my MOM minivan and sure she was going to notice that I was sporting my very own mom jeans! Fortunately she was very cool on the down-low and didn’t cause a big scene on my blatant Mom-ness! Love and miss this girl! She’s a lot of fun and her books are a blast to read so check them out! Just don't get caught in your Mom jeans!

Trish Ryan’s A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances

I read and loved Ryan’s first memoir, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not and am excited for this follow-up that has been called “a powerful inspiring read” which chronicles the first five years of her marriage. Trish writes in a spiritual and humorous way that may evoke the very best kind of goosebumps. I know from personal experience that she’s also an excellent backseat driver during really scary tornadoes and plays a mean game of, “If I were going on a picnic, I’d bring a …” all the way from A to Z! Giveaway coming to MaNiC MoMMy very soon!

Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

This one’s on my must-read list and while everyone knows I don’t know my way around my own kitchen, we all know I LOVE to eat! Georgia is not only a jilted chef, she’s also just been jilted by her fiancé. And what’s an up-and-coming NY chef to do when life takes a turn for the worst? She heads to Italy to saturate herself in the finer things in life, which might be some fine wine, good food, and possibly a new man? This book definitely has the makings for the big screen in my opinion, and if only we could smell the pages! I’m starving just writing about it!

Get Lucky by Katherine Center

I’ve loved Katherine Center since her debut The Bright Side of Disaster and her pajama-clad cute “come-to-the-rescue” guy character whose name escapes me, but man, do I remember how he took hold of me in that book! And again, her writing in Everyone is Beautiful grabbed me and reminded me what it’s like to be a struggling young mother (well, I WAS young ONCE!). So when I heard her third novel, Get Lucky, was coming out, I knew I had to GET Lucky and get it! This is another one of my favorite types of books – a book about the complexity of the sister relationship, and also about the possibilities of pregnancy and babies. Many of my favorite things.

After You by Julie Buxbaum

I read about Julie Buxbaum’s first novel, The Opposite of Love, in Redbook and tore the sheet out, thinking, “this is a book I have GOT to read.” A week or so later, an email lands in my in box from Julie and I about freaked out. She got my name from Allison Winn Scotch (thank you Allison!) and Julie thought I might be interested in her book. I was shocked and flattered, and of course, read it, loved it and promoted it here on MaNiC MoMMy. Julie and I later had the chance to meet, and she’s since had another great book come out, After You. It’s about friendship and the lengths one will go to in order to honor that friendship when tragedy strikes. But it’s not a sad book, and there’s a very precocious 8-year-old at the center of the story that you will absolutely fall in love with! Also, Julie has a new blog with a really cool name and she writes about her darling little baby girl Elili and puts up pics, so go check it out too: Julie Has Writer’s Blog.

I am a huge, huge, huge fan of Young Adult and I’ve got a few on my reading table that I’m dying to get to as well …

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

I’ve loved everything that Laurie Halse Anderson has written, and I think her debut was Speak. (Confirmed, and also, helloooo … did you know Speak was made into a movie starring Kristen Stewart in 2004? I’ve also read Twisted. What I love about Laurie’s books is that she writes so much like how her characters should sound, which obviously, that is how a writer should write, right? But I think it’s especially hard for an author to be authentic in the voice of a teen, but she always pulls it off, whether she’s writing as a teen boy struggling with his sexuality or a girl hiding a secret from everyone, even herself. Wintergirls is her latest, and I think it’s the perfect “chilling” book for me to check out poolside here in Scottsdale, mid-July when it’s 115 degrees out, don’t you?

Fall by Colin McAdam

Fall, by Colin McAdam may or may not be YA; I’ve yet to determine this but the first chapter wowed me! Quick and sparse detailed writing drew me in immediately, and I wanted to continue reading, but I am a faithful reader and can only read one book at a time, which probably is a crutch for me! Fall follows the story of Julius and Noel, senior-year roommates at an elite boarding school, and Julius’ girlfriend, Fall (love THAT name). It’s considered part love story and part mystery, and also, to me, seems like it’s a coming-of-age, but I guess I will have to just see about that!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I picked up If I Stay, just the other day. It’s a New York Times Bestseller, and USA Today said it "will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer’s" and even though I’ve never read Twilight I still bought it (love the Twilight movies though!). This story is about “memory, music, living, dying, loving” and I checked out the author’s acknowledgments and she said she listened to the song, “Falling Slowly” like 200 times while writing this book. I can relate to that (writing alongside a song that moves you), and can’t wait to read this book.

So, as you can see, I’ve got my work cut out for me with plenty (PLENTY!) of awesome reading ahead of me! I hope this lengthy list has given you a great start with your summer reading, and if you have any other suggestions you’d like to offer, I would love to hear about them in the comments, because as far as I am concerned, forget about being too rich or too thin, you can NEVER have too many books in your library!

PeaCe uP!

~MaNiC MoMMy