Monday, March 19, 2012

IF YOU WERE HERE by Jen Lancaster

 See if you've won this book!



I've been a little neglectful on the blog and I do apologize. To make it up to you, I'm coming at you big this week with at LEAST THREE BOOK GIVEAWAYS, so please check in with the blog this week! And starting off, I'm thrilled to bring one of my FAVES to you ...


Everybody LOVES Jen Lancaster and if you don’t know who she is by now, you might just be living under a rock or haven’t been in the know about books in a very long time. I’ve hosted practically all of her books here on MaNiC MoMMy and this one is a repeat, but NOT TO WORRY because I will also be featuring her next book, JENERATION X in May. It’s KILLER!

But for now, to whet your Jen appetites, we’re giving away the paperback edition of If You Were Here, which is Jen’s very first foray into fiction, which is a novel kind of based on the true experiences of what may or may not have happened when she and her hubby left the city of Chicago and bought a fixer-upper in the suburbs of Chicago. It’s a great fun read and you can win it here!

Blurb:
Told in the uproariously entertaining voice readers have come to expect from Jen Lancaster, If You Were Here follows Amish-zombie-teen- romance author Mia and her husband Mac (and their pets) through the alternately frustrating, exciting, terrifying-but always funny-process of buying and renovating their first home in the Chicago suburbs that John hughes's movies made famous. Along their harrowing renovation journey, Mia and Mac get caught up in various wars with the homeowners' association, meet some less-than-friendly neighbors, and are joined by a hilarious cast of supporting characters, including a celebutard ex- landlady. As they struggle to adapt to their new surroundings- with Mac taking on the renovations himself- Mia and Mac will discover if their marriage is strong enough to survive months of DIY renovations.

Read an excerpt here:  EXCERPT OF IF YOU WERE HERE

Read Jen’s hilarious blog here: http://www.jennsylvania.com/

So, if you want to win If You Were Here, tell me, if you were here, and Jen was here, what would we be doing? Make it CREATIVE!

Remember, MaNiC MoMMy is aiming to feature great books each and every week this year, and you’ll have a chance to win it as well! Please stop by often AND MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE PREVIOUS POSTS as I’m now posting new books more than once a week! Open to US/Canada residents only, and thanks to all the participating authors and publicists for providing the books.

Check back on this post in a few days to see if you’ve been chosen, and as long as there is not a highlighted winner’s name on the top of the blog post, you may enter to win any of the previous books being offered. One entry per person as always! Please include an email address or a uniquely identifying user name when entering to win!

70 comments:

susieqlaw said...

We would be celebrating the first day of spring by going on an adventure in a convertible driving in the sunshine. Destination: free-spirited fun!

Susan B

Dolly said...

LOL!!! We would be having a heated 'Neocon' -vs- 'Bleeding heart' "discussion"....then hopefully smoothing it all over with copious amounts of booze!!

jdstec said...

we would be drinking wine and shoe shopping online

Ncsuloges said...

We would be sporting matching polo shirts, playing with the dogs, spying on the neighbors and watching reality tv. Missed you Steph
Hope things are better

Bernadette7 said...

I loved this book and would love to win it and share with a friend. If we were all together we'd be laughing over a glass of chardonnay and people watching in Manhattan.

Emily said...

Well it might not be terribly creative, but I would L-O-V-E to do some people watching with Jen!


Emily116

Anonymous said...

We would going on a hike and I would be teaching you all about geocaching.

-Donna W.

BrendaL71 said...

A pajama party with lots of win, Barbies and twilight. YAY!

Krystal said...

Watching Bravo with glasses of wine. I'm sure that would just be the beginning!!!
kndyer

Juliet Farmer said...

we would be watching bad reality tv and making fun of everyone

Kim W. said...

We'd go on some kind of adventure (where there would be copious amounts of wine & some shopping) which would be the basis of a new book for Jen!

Crystal said...

Y'all just missed it by a couple days, but if y'all were here I would have taken y'all to the Houston rodeo (largest in the world!). I'm sure the lovely aroma of farm animals may be a slight negative, but we sure could have made up for it with yard long margaritas, endless shopping, turning Jen into a cowgirl, and skanky people watching! :)

crystal717

Carly said...

I am not super creative but I'd imagine the discussion would lead to animal stories and recounting episodes of reality tv over some delicious food.

Though honestly, I am not sure if I would be able to get a word out. I'd be a tad star-struck.

Carly H

buttah said...

We'd be having cocktails of course, wearing our finest pearls, lacross polos and madrass plaid, dishing on the latest reality tv gossip!! I totally love me some Jen! I have all of her memoirs, but have yet to score this one!!

accidentalgypsy said...

I'm not exactly sure, but it would probably involve a pool, booze, and pearls. :)

Emma S. said...

We would be drinking wine and watching trashy tv while eating some great food. Jen could help us pick the food and wine now that she cultured herself up from writing "My Fair Lazy"!

Melissa said...

We would spend the day getting pedicures and browsing Target. Then we would watch The Real Housewives of OC and discuss how annoying Alexis is!

Melissa Rem

Melissa said...

Going to get mani pedis and then watching RHOBH!

-tmd636

Unknown said...

Hitting the bar when it opens @ 6am & forgetting about any life responsibilities.

faithspage said...

First mani/pedis, and a massage. Because we would then tour Haunted Waverly Hills Sanitarium in Louisville Kentucky.

No, i'm not odd, just wanted to change it up, and no, I haven't ever been.

kyfaithw at aol dot com

Mom'sLove said...

mud wrestling!
Amanda from Mom's Love!!
;)
byacourt at gmail dot come

Ready To Be A Momma said...

Having an ambien induced online shopping spree.
Qweska8402

Amy said...

Oh my gosh, I would want to do SO many things. First go shopping with her to some of her favorite places, including Trader Joe's. I bet she would be hilarious. Then we would meet Caprice Crane in NYC for lunch. I bet you I would be peeing in my pants they would be so funny. Oh and I can't forget that I would love to go to her gym wit Jen. I'm sure this would be another hilarious adventure.

I'd love to win :)

Lizett34 said...

We would definitely be drinking and shopping. Then to wind down we would sit and people watch!

lizett34@yahoo.com

Natalie M. in VA said...

I'm pretty sure we'd be watching massive amounts of reality tv and commentating on EVERYTHING :)

Anonymous said...

How is it possible people haven't read this yet?? Jen Lancaster rocks!

Bev V said...

We would be creating wonderful drink concoctions, and shopping for Barbies (Jen) and bears (me) online.

Bev V. (shaggy552@gmail.com)

your invisible pixie said...

We would be drinking wine and eating food in celebration of spring!

Sslinsky said...

We would be watching reality TV while creating Twilight reenactments, drinking wine and styling the Barbie head. I'm sure the dogs would be involved somehow.

Sarah

Anonymous said...

watching Pretty in Pink and swooning over Steff, with lots of wine. JillFay

Katie said...

Our pit bulls would be playing together and we would be drinking wine around the pool (or since the weather has been so nice in the midwest in the pool!!)

Jessica said...

We would be drinking Starbucks and watching General Hospital. It was a good one today!!

Thanks!

-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

robynn78 said...

I would take you ladies to a Brewfest!! Get you ladies to try different beers with me!

Dani In Chicago said...

We'd be talking about our crazy friend, Stephanie!

:-)

EBrowning said...

We would be laying on a beach in Hawaii with the hotties from Hawaii Five-O serving as our cabana boys...shirtless of course! ;)

Lesley Davis, esq said...

We would be mixing wine & ambien while shopping online. Then in a couple days we'd be like where did all this shit come from? Sounds like fun to me :)

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I don't get too wild and crazy but I have a feeling that with the 2 of you, our time would be a crazy time. We would probably start by renting a limo so we can hit the bars and go from place to place drinking. We would then go back home and stay up all night drinking, laughing and making memories to laugh about in the future.

Terri said...

I think we'd have a girly day. Pedicures, enjoying the sunshine and of course talking about boys.

Terri M.

Anonymous said...

We would be having manicures and pedicures, followed by a viewing of several John Hughes teen flicks, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Sixteen Candles.

GoGreen said...

Not sure if my post went through, so here it is again.

Having pedicures and manicures, followed by viewing of John Hughes teen flicks, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Sixteen Candles.



Bonnie

TaraUB said...

I'd want to take you two to the IMA to look at some art, then et some local food in Indy - maybe Mug N Bun for some giant tenderloins. And then swing by my favorite store, IndySwank, and then head to the New Day Meadery for some Mead and Cider.

Megan said...

going to the animal shelter to help and hang out with all the awesomely adorable critters.
eloisepeaches

Kimmi said...

We'd do the only thing there is to do this week: Prepare for the season premier of Mad Men. We would need to emotionally prepare ourselves for such an event BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ON HIATUS FOR A REALLY REALLY REALLY LONG TIME. AND IT'S A REALLY REALLY GOOD SHOW AND IT'S BEEN OFF THE AIR A REALLY REALLY LONG TIME.

But I repeat myself...

Literary Chanteuse said...

Definitely chatting, laughing and drinking coffee!

Margaret(singitm)

Hally said...

We'd be poolside at the Valley Ho having cupcakes and cocktails.

Hally

Hally said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ally said...

Make cupcakes and watching bad tv.

Ally N

Amy R said...

This isn't too creative but you ladies would be a blast in Vegas!

Margie said...

We would be at an outdoor coffee shop, drinking our lattes, watching the people walk by, and talking about our favorite books.
Margie T

Erin G said...

Cocktails, cupcakes, and kitty play date.

Jeffie T said...

Drinking someplace with a patio where we can make fun of all the ridiculous outfits college kids are wearing these days.

Kristen said...

Brunch/mimosas/people judging. Followed by an afternoon of shopping at Lilly Pulitzer.

Tallulah A. Scribbles said...

We would rent a convertible to celebrate spring. We'd do a three-person flash mob rountine (music coming from the convertible) in the middle of streets with an odd number in the name & in local Trader Joe locations. We'd give out free copies of her book at the end of the performances. Then we'd break for adult beverages at a sports bar and insist that one of TVs be turned to a reality TV show.

Read Baby Read said...

Actually, I think we would sit and read all of these comments and find things to make fun of (excepting mine, of course). Then, we'd get tired of that, so we'd each take an Ambien, drink a cocktail, and when it doesn't kick in fast enough, we'd turn to the internet and order unnecessary doll heads and what-nots online. Of course, we'd follow up all that with me bitching about how sh**ty it is that I got a pink slip. Bitter is definitely the new black!

Christina said...

Drinking wine and making fun of the cast of Jersey Shore!

ChristinaL

Anonymous said...

Well, Jen WAS in Miami. After the book signing I would have taken her to the coolest Cuban restaurant for mojitos, cuban food and dancing. This would all be pretty new to me too, since I'm probably the most gringo gringo living in Miami, but we'd have a blast! Of course, I'd have hired a limo in advance! writeoncindy(at)yahoo(dot)com
cindy in miami

Bridget said...

I would say watching a John Hughes movie.

Iambtinrb

Nancye said...

Girls Day Out totally!! No men allowed! Shopping, dining out, girl talk, more shopping, gossiping, more dining out, and then more shopping!! Way fun day!!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Kristi said...

Drinking lots of alcohol and watching "Sixteen Candles"!

aggiekristi04

equinn726 said...

We'd be drinking wine, sitting somewhere outdoors in capris & polo shirts talking reality TV, John Hughes, shopping, Mad Men & Twilight :)

karenk said...

we would be talking books...and books...and books

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Amelia said...

we would deconstruct some bad 80s prom dresses

Dawn in CA said...

I say we'd rent a convertible and head to the beach! We'd set up camp under an umbrella, fortified with amazing cheese from the Cowgirl Creamery, crusty sourdough bread, ice cold Proseco with pomegranate juice and lime...and a stack of People magazines! I'd bug you and Jen with questions about writing until you were both sick of me! It would be a fabulous day!

Leslie said...

We would be drinking, shopping, and laughing so much we get dirty looks from the people around us! LeslieGC

betsy_blixt said...

Drinking wine and talking about pop culture while watching reality TV.

Jenn3128 said...

I read this a few days ago and really took to heart the "be creative" part. Here's what we'd do:

You live in AZ, its been a loooong time since I've been, so the three of us would go do one of those donkeys tours down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I've never ridden a donkey (a real donkey as opposed to a guy who is a donkey) & hopefully neither of you have either!

Wohlski said...

Watching reality tv cuddling with our animals and gossiping.

Kristin said...

You know we would be talking, laughing, eating and catching up! And asking questions, because you and I seem to think the same way!

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

Thanks for entering to win this book! Comments are now closed! No more entries will be taken to qualify for this book, but please check back for the next book being featured!

Teena in Toronto said...

Just finished it.