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Sunday, May 13, 2012

Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2012 * Chick Lit Memoirs

The Fun Starts Now!
At the bottom of my post are all the instructions you need to enter in a grand prize drawing and meet all the participating authors for a chance to win an e-book on their sites!
Thanks Tracie Banister for such a lovely way to connect with Chick Lit authors!

Please note: leave your comments right below the list of authors. This post runs closely with the post last Wednesday and some comments have been left there. I'll include them in the drawing if I can't repost here!


Chick Lit Memoirs

I am a dog hoarder. Most people who know me would agree on that simple fact. I have five dogs. I’d have more, but my seven-pound Chihuahua, Chloe, stomped her tiny paw on my chest one night after she caught me up on Petfinder.com again. She is the Alpha and demands the attention. I think I heard her squeak, “Enough!”

“The Unfaithful Widow” is full of dog rescue stories. It is my tail tale of the first year after my husband died. “I’d like to think I’ve rescued dogs the truth is they have rescued me.” How many times have I said that? Chloe came in as the P.S. on the bottom of the last page. She was not the last dog to enter my front door. Two more followed her. I adopted five dogs in nine months. If I wasn’t so old were younger, I could have had a baby.

The dogs, and a pack of great girlfriends, turn a widow story into a breezy chick lit memoir. I’d like to think my readers feel like they are sitting at my kitchen table, sharing secrets, and drinking Margaritas a nice cup of tea.

One of my favorite reviews came from Helen Ross, an Australian children’s author, poet, and writer. “ ‘The Unfaithful Widow’ would make a lovely movie – a little in the vein of ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’, offering hope to those in similar situations, or to just get out there and give life a go; it should appeal to both men and women.” She also called me “naughty” and “cheeky”. I’ll love her forever for that!

Hello Hollywood, are you listening?

I have a soft spot for shelter dogs. They teach us that love can mend a broken heart, that it is possible to trust again, and how to live in the moment. If you see me face down in my yard, don't call 911, I am just smelling a blade of grass.

Chloe is my fashionsita. She rules the house in a polka dot dress with the ruffle flying high above her butt. Her favorite gift is a new outfit. She is a real bitch cute dog. She's the kind of a gal that would sneak a cigarette from my Coach purse if either of us smoked.

I am working on a new memoir about my crazy life with dogs. Try dating with a pack of hounds at home. My bedside table is full of milk bones instead of condoms books. The last date I had ran out the front door crying he had a headache. I thought that was my excuse!

Chick lit is considered the epitome of a lighthearted beach read, but most chick lit writing has a firm grasp on situations and issues women face in daily life. Non-fiction memoirs, written in a hip, just us girls style, can take a grave situation, make it intimate and fun, and give the reader something to compare her own life experiences with. Some memoirs take on a more serious tone, but the feeling of camaraderie is present so the reader and author connect in a personal way.

On my bucket list of chick lit memoirs with a bit of 'hair of the dog' to read are:

  • “Rex in the City” by Lee Harrington. 
  • “Dreaming in Libro” by Louise Bernikow
  • “You Had Me At Woof” by Julie Klam
Five dogs have killed off my dating life but I now have time to read! My Saturday night special is a great chick lit memoir, a pack of hounds to snuggle with, and a bottle of Jack Black diet coke.

I dream my perfect man will come along, a second chance at love again,  and that he will be a veterinarian. That will be a memoir with a kick ass up your heels ending!



Do you have a dog that plays havoc on your love life? Leave a comment below with your name and e-mail address and you will be entered to win a copy of my memoir "The Unfaithful Widow". The winner can choose between a free Kindle download or a paperback book.


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

  • Collect all 34 of the secret words (you will find a secret word in each of the blog posts on the hop.) The word will be italicized, so it will be easy to locate. A hint for my secret word, it is in the line that links to Helen Ross and is in blush red.
  • Submit your list of 34 secret words to mailto:CLABlogHop@aol.combefore midnight on Sunday, May 20th and you will be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing! 
  • The Grand Prize winner will be announced on Monday, May 21st, and the $150 Sephora gift card can be redeemed online, or at any Sephora store in the US.
  • Chick Lit Author Blog Hop contests are open to residents of the United States only.


Please see the list below for a Linky list of all 34 participating authors/blogs. Find the secret word in each blog and enter to win an e-book with each author. It's that simple and fun! 

27 comments:

Tobi said...

Thanks for doing the hop! I love "tea" too! <3

Tobi
tobihelton at gmail dot com

Rhonda D said...

I think I would be like you if something happened to my husband. I would be lost. Thank you for sharing and for participating in the hop!
slinkydennis@yahoo.com

Nobody said...

WONDERFUL giveaway!! :)

bethanyscruggs[at]gmail[dot]com

Savannah Page said...

Great chick-lit-esque blog post for this fab hop, Barbara! Really enjoyed it and liked your fun play with struck out words. :) And the cigarette-stealing-from-Coach-bag pooch made me laugh out loud.

Thanks for the hop!
-Savannah Page
info[at]savannahpage[.]com

Cari-Bella Creations said...

I have three rescue dogs. The first two are quite well behaved and lovely. The third is crazy and is my baby. He is 13 months old, weighs 90 pounds, and is taller than me when he stands on his back legs. He's the most precious, spastic, cuddle worthy, huge dog ever.

Caribellacreations at gmail.com

Theresa said...

No doggies here, but only because I want an outdoor pup and we don't have the room. One day though, one day. Thanks for your great post!
Theresa Crowell
theresacrowell(at)msn(dot)com

Tonya said...

Thanks for doing the hop
I love you pic at the top of the page
If anything my dog helps bc she's so cute and friendly!

Pinksapphire118 at gmail .com

PatriciaW said...

I don't think I've read any chicklit memoirs, but I'm imagining I would enjoy them.

Kassandra said...

We have two dogs currently and one of them has almost everything "wrong" that can go with her breed. But we love her and her wacky self ;)

sionedkla@gmail.com

Allyson said...

I have several I have rescued as well! ;) They are wonderful. One That I have had much much longer than my 2 year old mothers him.
allysonbrann06@ yahoo.com

Kristen said...

Love dog books - "Stay" by Allie Larkin is one of my favorites!!!!

kly(dot)327(at)gmail.com

mimirose41209 said...

Thanks for participating. While my dogs haven't ruined my dating life, they do like to sleep between my husband and I and my chihuahua mix is the alpha in our house too! She loves to run her brother off the spot nearest my husband. Lots of fun in our house ;)

mimirose41209 at hotmail dot com

Mary D said...

Well I just loved the music playing in the background while read your post! No doggies for me. My husband and I have an empty nest and I just don't want the work that goes with have a dog. I just don't think anyone should get an animal unless they want to do the work that comes with them 100%. Thanks for doing the hop!

gatormaryd(at)yahoo(dot)com

My Inner Chick said...

~~I dream my perfect man will come along, a second chance at love again, and that he will be a veterinarian~~

Puuuurrfect, Barbara! Xxxx

Rachel Kall said...

I love dogs and cats. Have 5 total. Sounds like great reading.

Sidne said...

I so enjoyed your post!! LMBO.
sidne @ rdg.rendezvous@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Fun contest!!!

Mary Jean
bpinkmj@gmail.com

Literary Chanteuse said...

I do not have a dog but my kids are always hoping I'll cave in lol. Perhaps when they are older and able to care for a pet. Thank you for the giveaway!

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Jen Mc said...

Fun post - thanks for participating.
Jen

gina herberg said...

looking forward to winning a FREE Chick Lit e-book! i have seem to become a book whore lately!

Liz said...

I so want a small doggie, but hobby wants a lab. I wonder if he fully realizes that big dogs make big poop. Lol. Seriously though, we just don't have the space for one yet. Someday soon I hope!

Anyways, thanks for doing the hop. You're awesome.

ocbride (@) gmail (dot) com

Liz said...

I'm sorry. I meant hubby. He's not really a hobby. Well.. sometimes he could be hehehe

Erica said...

My husband and I saved our first dog from a shelter and, although a bit biased, we're fairly confident that she's one of the smartest dogs around. We joke that she speaks in multiple foreign languages when we're not around, because she seems to understand everything we say in English! Additionally, we raise puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind. Of the three we've raised, our first (Abby) and last (Chance) were typical lab characters that kept us in stitches-- and exhausted!


Erica Kincannon
EricaLKincannon@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

My daughter loves dogs.

Unknown said...

I have 1 dog and 1 cat. I'm not allowed to have any more or my husband says my animals and I will be outside. He's only joking. My animals are my babies. Sometimes they come before my 4 human babies. lol
Lmackesy @ gmail.com

joanna said...

Love your picture at the top of the page. I love my dogs and can't live without mine. Thanks for the giveaway.

Barbara Barth said...

Thanks to everyone who left a reply. If I were smarter I'd know how to reply individually under each comment. Duh! Will list the winner tomorrow. Hugs for stopping by. Barbara