Brenda Janowitz's Blog, page 7

Free book alert!

We're giving it away for free!  On my group blog, that is.  Enter to win a copy of Laura Spinella's BEAUTIFUL DISASTER.  Just leave a comment on her blog post by Friday to be entered to win.

Don't say I never gave you anything.

Political drama

I usually don't talk about politics on this blog much, but there's an issue that I've been wanting to discuss for a really long time now.  It's something I feel passionately about, and something that I think you should feel passionate about as well.

Michelle Obama's wardrobe.

Is she the best dressed first lady since Jackie O or what?!  New York Mag has this awesome Michelle Obama look book, which I just drool over all the time.  I pretty much want everything she ever dresses in.  She probably sends J. Crew's sales soaring every time she wears one of their cute sweaters.  (Seriously, tho, are you not on J. Crew's website right now looking for that awesome argyle one she just wore gardening?!)

Every American needs to stand for something, and for me, I firmly believe in the First Lady's right to look awesome!  Is it just me or are her outfits totally drool worthy?!

Come on over!

I'm over on my group blog, Girlfriends Book Club, talking about book ideas and how to structure a novel.  But wait, there's more!  I'm also giving away a free signed copy of JACK WITH A TWIST!  What are you waiting for?  Come on over right now!

Author interview: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

We've got a real treat here today because the fabulous Lauren Baratz-Logsted has come to visit!  She's here to celebrate the paperback release of her young adult novel, The Education of Bet.

We're going to find out all about the novel, all about Lauren, and all about where she gets her fabulous story ideas!  So, what are we waiting for?  Here we go:

Tell us about your most recent novel in 30 words or less.
In Victorian England, a teenage girl decides to impersonate a boy in order to get a proper education.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
The Idea Fairy visits me a few times a year. In between visitations, I keep my eyes and ears open but never my mouth - flies might fly in.

What is the inspiration behind this novel?
The classic novel of British boarding-school life, Tom Brown's Schooldays. I wanted to write a - hopefully! - entertaining novel that would also show that the things we take for granted, like a decent education for girls, has by no means always been a given.

When did you first begin writing?
I first got excited about writing when I was 12 but I didn't do anything about it until 20 years later when, at age 32, I walked out on my day job to take a chance on myself as a writer.

What do you think readers might be surprised to know about you?
That I really am as short as I say I am.

What is your advice for those who looking to get their novel published?
Read, read, read everything you can get your hands on, and always remember: the only person who can ever really take you out of the game is you.

Congrats on the latest release!!
Thank you!!!


Thank you so much for stopping by, Lauren!  I love the advice about reading a lot if you want to write-- so often I meet people who want to write books, but they don't actually read books!  It's so important to know what's out there.

If you haven't already checked out Lauren's latest release, what are you waiting for?  You can order it now!

Hooray for Hollywood!!

I absolutely love movies. But the thing I love more than movies? When they make my favorite books into movies!

And it's been happening a lot lately.

I'm waiting with bated breath for the movie version of Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed, the adaptation of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants is already getting great buzz, and just today they released a trailer for the movie adapation of Kathryn Stockett's The Help, which combines a few of my favorite things-- literary scandals and Emma Stone!  Check them all out below.

The thing making me laugh today

Dunno why, but I cannot stop laughing at this video.  I literally have tears streaming down my face because I was laughing so hard.  I really loved The Fighter, and I thought the cast was amazing.  This video has very little to do with the movie...

Guest what?

I'm over on my group blog, Girlfriends Book Club, today talking about beginnings.  Go over and check it out!

FREE BOOKS!!!

Win this book!!So, did that subject line get your attention?!  I'm giving away a free signed copy of JACK WITH A TWIST over on my group blog, Girlfriends Book Club.  Check out my blog post and enter to win!

Already have a copy of JACK?  That's okay!  Enter to win a copy and you can give it to a friend for the holidays.  See you over there!

Awesomely awesome

This is just too hilarious.  This is how I feel every time someone approaches me at a cocktail party and asks me to ghost-write their novel.  Thanks to Laura Zigman and Allison Winn Scotch for sharing!

I'm not a celebrity, but I play one in this cookbook

I was so, so honored when I was asked to contribute to the Snap4Kids Celebrity Cookbook.  The first thing was, well, I'm not really a celebrity.  And the second thing is, well, I don't really cook from recipes.  I generally just cook from feel (which explains why every time I cook, things taste slightly different.  It also explains why I once made a dish my husband dubbed "foot chicken" since he claimed it smelled like feet.  It didn't.  It didn't smell good by any means, but I'm not going to go so far as to say it smelled like feet....)

But, I digress.  Snap4Kids is a fabulous charity whose mission is to help the families of children with special needs.  Which is why they got some real life literary celebrities to help contribute recipes, alongside little old me:  Barbara Delinsky, Wendy Corsi Staub, JT Ellison-- aren't you dying to know what they cook at home?!

So, please check out the cookbook and support this wonderful charity.  And then let me know if any of the recipes turn out smelling like feet.