Clock Watching!

It's Friday and oh my winey goodness, London is HOT! Perhaps this is the summer we never had? Whatever it is, I'm certainly not complaining... but let me tell you, wine o'clock is coming early ce soir! A picnic in the park is definitely in order. 
Today, I'm over on Amlokiblogs, talking about my next novel (official announcement on Monday, yay!) and various other bits and bobs. Sign up to the Rule of Three challenge over there for a chance to win a copy of Willow. And in other yay-worthy news, to celebrate being short-listed for Best Romantic Read, The Hating Game ebook is now on for a reduced price of 98p and its US equivalent. 
Now over to the lovely Elle Strauss, who is celebrating the launch of Clockwise!
Chick litIsn't Dead and Why chick lit is Needed in YA
RecentlyI read somewhere that chick lit was dead. Obviously no one told the verytalented Talli Rolland that!  And I'mwith Talli, there will always be room on the shelf for chick lit now that thegenre exists.
Iremember when it didn't.  I have very clearmemories of a younger me scouring library shelves wondering why no one wroteRomantic Comedy.  It did great at the boxoffice as movies, but nothing came close to it on the shelves.
Ithink that's why I read a lot of mysteries back then. Besides liking mystery,it was the only genre that had a "cozy" line.
Thencame Bridget Jones' Diary by HelenFielding . Oh my gosh—finally! That's what I was talking about! She opened thedoor to a whole new genre.  Which filledup fast.  Maybe too fast, thus the "dead"talk. 
Butnot in YA.  With the rush of Paranormaland Dystopian, and don't get me wrong, I like me a bit of Paranormal andDystopian,  anything on the lighter sideseems to be getting not much more than a sideways glance.  Not everything, a few choice nuggets aregetting through, like the spy books by Ally Carter.
SometimesI think chick lit gets a bad rap. Like it's just meaningless fluff, and flirtywords.  And maybe there is some likethat. But just because something is light and fun, doesn't mean there can't bea, a thought provoking deeper message of substance.
So,I say, let's keep chick lit coming—both in women's fiction and YA. Becausesometimes you just need to read something that makes you smile and go, ahh.

Clockwise is launching electronically this week and it's only 2.99 on Amazon , £2.17on Amazon.co.uk! To celebrate, Elle Strauss is giving away five debut booksby authors that you can meet on her blog tour which is happening now.
LOSINGFAITH by Denise JadenTHECLEARING by Anne RileyTHESECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL by Heather McCorklePERILOUSby Tamara Hart HeinerTHEHATING GAME by Talli Roland
Howto win? Sign up for Elle's newsletter to enter. For extra entries just commenton any blog inthe tour. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more chances you haveto win. Fivebooks, five days, five winners!
Have a great weekend, everyone!