Monday, June 27, 2011

Meet Sibel Hodge, Chicklit Author of Four Winning Novels

My name is Sibel Hodge and I’m a chicklit author!

I was standing up when I said that so should I duck now and wait for the squidgy tomatoes to be thrown at me? I know some of you lovely readers might appreciate a hefty dose of chicklit, but there are still a lot of chicklit-haters out there! Why? Haven’t got a clue, to be honest, because if you think about it, chicklit has been around for years. Just look at Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen! It was possibly one the first romantic comedies - yep, that’s right, Jane Austen wrote chicklit!

And since chicklit and fun go hand in hand, I thought I’d show you my take on this amazing genre!

May was the inaugural International Chicklit Month, and I had the pleasure of hosting a fabtastic giveaway of chicklit books on my blog. All people had to do to enter was leave a comment saying exactly what they love about chicklit. And this is where the fun part comes in!

Here are a few quotes from the comments:

“I can be sitting here reading a book, laughing out loud, snickering, and more, and I could try to explain to my hubby what is so funny, and he just doesn't get it!!!”

“Why do I like chick lit? Because it offers realistic characters, intriguing settings, and often, a good dose of humor”

“Reading a chicklit novel is like having a gossip session with a girl friend, and that is a guilty pleasure we all need to have once in a while.”


“Why do I read chick lit? Because chick lit is fun :) A light reading which makes you smile and sometimes upset”

“Rather like having an enormous box of chocolates that I can dip into at will - or even scoff the lot with no guilt feelings.”

“We all need a bit of light hearted fun in our lives! There is nothing wrong with a bit of daydreaming. This is why I like chicklit :o) xx”

“I especially enjoy reading about strong women who make their way in men's professions and have fun while their at it.”

“Other times I'm laughing my face off enjoying the great adventures and interesting situations that some of the characters get themselves into.”

“What I love about it is the attitude, that it's all about a woman's journey, but more in a fun, personal way than say women's fiction”

“It is fun, light hearted escapism”

Notice the common theme in all of them? Yes, the F word (no, not THAT F word!) - Fun!

So what exactly is chicklit?

Well, the chicklit genre is so diverse, encompassing all the issues that modern women face. And it’s so much more than killer-shoes and pink covers! It can be sad, happy, kick-ass, fun, comic, scary, inspiring, heart-warming, intriguing, romantic, raunchy, sassy, full of attitude, quirky, tear-jerking. It covers real problems that women go through on a daily basis so it can never die!

But I think the main theme of chicklit is that it often contains humor, sarcasm, wit, and a fantabulous dose of fun. They are also often told in a more personal and confiding tone. Imagine having a natter with your best mate while indulging in a big dose of chocolate. Think of it as a calorie free indulgence! And these are the things that set it apart from purely romance or women’s fiction.

Nowadays there are sub genres such as mommy lit, mystery lit, even lad lit! So whatever type of story you’re looking for there will be loads of chicklit books to suit you.

Authors in the chicklit genre include people like Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Beth Orsoff, LC Evans. Oh, yeah, and little old moi!

So, girls and guys, if you do wanna have fun…reach for the chicklit!

~*~ 

Bio:

Sibel Hodge has dual British/Turkish Cypriot nationality, dividing her time between Hertfordshire and North Cyprus. She is a qualified personal trainer, sports and massage therapist, and writes freelance feature articles on health, fitness, and various lifetyle subjects. Prior to this, she also worked for Hertfordshire Constabulary for ten years.

Her first novel, Fourteen Days Later, was short listed for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008 and received a highly commended by the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009. It is a romantic comedy with a unique infusion of British and Turkish Cypriot culture. Written in a similar style to Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes, Fourteen Days Later is My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Bridget Jones. My Perfect Wedding is the sequel to Fourteen Days Later, although it can be read as a standalone novel.

The Fashion Police was a runner up in the Chapter One Promotions Novel Competition 2010 and nominated Best Novel with Romantic Elements 2010 by The Romance Reviews. It is a screwball comedy-mystery, combining murder and mayhem with romance and chick-lit, and the first in a series featuring feisty, larger-than-life insurance investigator, Amber Fox. Written in a similar style to Janet Evanovich and Myron Bolitar, The Fashion Police is Stephanie Plum meets Harlan Coben. Be Careful What You Wish For is the second Amber Fox Mystery.

~*~

Blurb for Be Careful What You Wish For:

For fans of Janet Evanovich, Kate Johnson, and Gemma Halliday...

Armed with cool sarcasm and uncontrollable hair, feisty insurance investigator Amber Fox is back in a new mystery combining murder and mayhem with romance and chicklit…

Three deaths.
A safety deposit box robbery.
The boxing heavyweight champion of the world.

Somehow, they’re all related, and Amber has to solve a four year old crime to find out why.

As she stumbles across a trail of dead bodies and a web of lies spanning both sides of the social divide, it’s starting to get personal. Someone thinks Amber’s poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, sparking off a game of fox and mouse – only this time, Amber’s the mouse.

Amber’s forced to take refuge in the home of her ex-fiancĂ©, Brad Beckett, and now it’s not just the case that’s hotting up. So is the bedroom…

All Levi Carter wanted to be was the boxing heavyweight champion of the world, but at what cost?

All Carl Thomas wanted was to be rich, but would his greed be his downfall?

All Brad Beckett wants is to get Amber back, but there’s a reason for the ex word.

Be careful what you wish for…you might just get it.

~*~

Reviews:

"I was hooked in this book from beginning to end. This is a very well written book that has humour and romance." Geeky Girl Books

"If you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum I think you will really like Amber Fox - I know I do." Martha's Bookshelf

"Amber Fox was hilarious with her tough as nails outer persona and her hysterical one-liners that were frequently laugh out loud funny.

I definately recommend picking this book up!!" The Caffeinated Diva reads...

"Be Careful What You Wish For is a sharp, fast-paced story with intrigue, evil, romance, and humor. Amber Fox is the kind of strong lead female character with a great sarcastic wit that I love to read." To Read, Perchance to Dream

~*~

Links:

Ebook:

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Smashwords
B&N Nook

Paperback: Amazon.com

Author website
Author blog
For reviews and purchases of my latest novels       

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Monday, June 20, 2011

Can Men and Women Just Be Friends by Miss Know It All

The question people always ask, “Can men and women just be friends.” The answer to that question is yes. However, in order for this friendship to endure, there must be an unambiguous understanding as to how men and women define friendship and what their expectations are.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines friendship as an acquaintance, one attached to another by respect or affection, or one who supports or favors something.

Sometimes when a man and woman become close friends, there may be an undercurrent of innuendos or misunderstandings developing because each party never discussed their role in the relationship.

There is an assumption that men and women cannot be just friends, because there is a presumption that sex has to be the ulterior motive in order to maintain a close connection.

A perfect example is the role of friends with benefits, which can cloud one’s perception as to whether individuals are just looking for sex and are using the term friends as a reason to satisfy each other’s needs or do these people really have a healthy and lasting friendship?

Once sex is in the picture, can a friendship between men and women be sustainable?

What do you think? Post your comments now!

Monday, June 13, 2011

How do you know if He is the One? By Debbie Lamedman


Our lives take many unexpected twists and turns throughout our lifetime; and certainly incidents may occur which we never planned for. Society and culture often tells us how to live our lives, including who we are supposed to love and if we should marry. For many of us, it’s difficult to be told what to do, particularly when it comes to matters of the heart. Marriage and family may not be the right path for some of us, though I do believe it is human nature to pair ourselves up and not travel down a solitary road.

Looking back at past relationships, I know I believed at the time that I was in love with some of these individuals. And I’m sure I was. Then. But not now. We learn about ourselves and life from every relationship we are involved in. And we learn from every relationship we encounter, not only romantic partners, but also family, friends, business associates and collaborators. As we learn and grow and move forward, the one we met and fell in love with when we were twenty is probably not the person we want to be with at 45. But then again…maybe he is. Everyone is different. There are plenty of couples who can get together when they are 20 years old and move and grow forward together. There is no rhyme or reason to the mystery of what keeps people in a relationship. Well, actually, there is a reason…the reason is love.

So how do we know if the person we are currently with is “the one?” What does “the one” mean anyway? Someone to spend the rest of our days with and grow old with? Maybe. But perhaps “the one” is the person who is right for you at the time. The one you can learn the most from. The person who can be with you unconditionally and allow you to see yourself as he sees you. I believe we may meet several “ones” during a lifetime. And we know in our hearts if he or she is the right one for us at that particular time in our life. We may not always stay with that person, but if it’s a relationship worth having, we will definitely learn from him.

Our society says we should meet one person and settle with him forever. That may be possible for some people, but if you look at the state of marriage, and divorce being so common these days, it may not be practical. I am certainly not the same woman I was 25 years ago; I’d like to think I’m constantly growing and changing. I have experienced loss of all sorts of relationships, both friends and lovers, because people grow at a different pace. I have no regrets and believe with all my heart that everything happens for a reason. I met, fell in love and experienced certain relationships because that is what I needed at the time. The person I was with was the right person for me then. If things didn’t work out, it’s because we both needed to move on to the next phase, whatever that may be.

Sometimes it’s hard to let go when you love someone. But you have to ask yourself if the person you are now with is someone who is willing to grow and change as you are doing. It’s a terrible feeling if you think you are stuck with someone—this leads to bitterness and resentment. Be grateful for the time the two of you had together, and know that moving on will be better for both of you. If, however, this person is “the one,” you have the capability within your relationship to enjoy each other for a lifetime. Sometimes, however, we don’t always we get what we want; but we always get what we need.

~*~

Bio: Debbie Lamedman is a published and produced playwright, blogger and freelance writer who writes about online dating and relationships. Among the websites Debbie writes for is DatingServices.net. She also writes a personal blog at Confessions of a Cluttered Mind.

Monday, June 06, 2011

A Conference for the Passionate Erotic


The Erotic Authors Association will hold its first Inaugural Conference on September 9-10, 2011 at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Connect with authors, artists, publishers and fans for an amazing weekend of readings, panels, classes and industry networking. The conference will be capped by a reception at the Flamingo’s Terrace Balcony.

This is the first convention designed for readers, authors and for those who enjoy the erotic side of life.

Registration fee is $165.00 until August 1. After August 1, $185.00.

No refunds 30 days before the event.

For more information, please visit their site at http://eroticauthorsassociation.com/EAA/conference/