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Have you ever taken the time to gather up your really great girlfriends and get the heck out of dodge? Where in the world would you go? How do you begin planning such a treat for yourself? Start with The Complete Idiot's Guide to Girlfriend Getaways by Lisa Kasanicky.

In Girlfriend Getaways, you'll learn how to plan for your getaway and how to prepare your family for your time away. You will certainly hope your bag is packed by the time you finish this great guide book of adventures. From shopping trips in posh boutiques in California, antiquing in the South, relaxing in spas in Hawaii, to becoming a rock star, this guide has it all.

About the author, Lisa Kasanicky is a freelance writer and creator of ArizonaSpaGirls.com--a girlfriend-to-girlfriend guide that speaks to a new generation of spa enthusiasts. Lisa has developed spa and travel guides for the Arizona Office of Tourism and for The Arizona Republic's family of lifestyle publications. She has served as the spa editor for Item magazine, beauty editor for East West magazine, and is a regular beauty columnist and features writer for several Phoenix-based and national publications. As the go-to gal for spas and beauty, she has been cited as an expert source in countless publications and appears regularly on the ABC Phoenix show, Sonoran Living, among others.

In 2006, she co-founded an event series that tours spas across greater Phoenix with a mission of educating the public on beauty and wellness while supporting a women's charity. Lisa's latest venture is SpaBound Summer Passport, a unique print publication that focuses on bringing value to spa and travel enthusiasts while stirring up business for the resort community during their off-season summer months. Lisa was named among the coolest people in the Valley of the Sun by Phoenix Magazine in 2008 for her work as the "Spastress." A graduate of North Carolina State University and a native Floridian, Lisa and her husband currently reside in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona.
 
Here's a Chic idea: As you are preparing for the holidays, pick up a copy for each of your girlfriends and mark a couple of adventures you believe you all would enjoy. Include a note telling each of your friends how special she is to you. Now, you are set for the holidays early this year. After your friends open their gift, get started planning your great Girlfriend Getaway! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Girlfriend Getaways
 
How can you be the lucky winner of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Girlfriend Getaways? Tell us what great adventure you would like to go on with your girlfriends.  Copies will be distributed to 3 people who leave a comment before September 21st.

Written by Author, Traci E. Hall.

Medieval romance, young adult ghost stories, and a non-fiction novel on adoption - writing is in my blood. It is, as the tragic comic book heroes say, what I do.

I was cleaning out my office a few weeks ago, determined to toss the clutter before I was overtaken by piles of books, papers, cocktail napkins (with fabulous if unreadable notes scribbled over the wine stains) and manila file folders. The mess was one match away from a blaze.

It seems I've been toiling away at this writing gig since I was 7. I found a story my mom had saved that I'd written on construction paper about an ant named Blip. Journalistic brilliance. Though rough, the story had a beginning, a middle and an end.

It's true that the spelling was awful. I didn't color in the lines, and my ant looked more like a potato with eyes - but the pacing was quick, and there was a happy ending.

I love a happy ending.

According to Publisher's Weekly, so do a lot of people. Romance books sales are up, as are young adult novels. In this economy, people want inexpensive but explosive entertainment. More bang for the buck.

With downsizing, it might be harder to find every new release on the local bookseller's shelves, but thanks to Amazon, it's easy to order your favorite authors online. If you are feeling 'green', most publishing houses offer titles in ebook format for the Kindle or Sony e readers. These are the next big technological gadgets.

Back to my story telling genius.

It took me over thirty years to publish a book. In those stacks of papers I'd been collecting, I found rejection letters from 1993. First drafts of stories that never saw an editor's desk. As I blew the dust off of my personal memorabilia, I felt sick. How could I throw this stuff away?

I have seven books published. I've won contests and gotten rave reviews. I have achieved a good chunk of my dream, and my eye is on the future. So what is my weird attachment to all of this junk? After walking around the newly organized piles as if they were a ticking bomb, I had an epiphany.

Each crumpled cocktail napkin was an idea that still had a chance. The stacks of single-spaced half-finished stories represent steps I'd taken toward a goal. Colored with brown and yellow crayons, my writer's journey is contained within the chaos of files and stacks.

As sentimentally important as a baby's lock of hair, my junk deserved better than to be piled and ignored. I chose instead to invest in plastic storage boxes. My office is no longer a fire hazard, and my memories are labeled. I still pile, but inside a plastic tub with the date on the outside. I found organization much easier once I crated the chaos!

LOVE'S MAGIC by Traci E. Hall

Celestia Montehue is the misfit in a legacy bound family. The only thing she has in common with her ancestors is her magical healing ability. Nicholas Le Blanc, a monastery raised knight, is captured while on crusade and forced to kill for his freedom.  Can the healer save the broken man, or will his family's curse doom them both? 

You may purchase a copy of Love's Magic

ADOPTION IS FOREVER by Traci E. Hall and Rhonda Pollero

Adoption doesn't end when the papers are signed, not for the birth mother, not for the adoptive mother and not for the adopted child.  It is a decision with consequences that last a lifetime.

You may purchase a copy of Adoption is Forever

HER WICCAN, WICCAN WAYS by Traci E. Hall

Rhiannon Godfrey is a psychic prodigy, but her parents don't see things her way.  They think she needs a "normal" high school experience-she wants to stay in trendy Vegas.  In the small farming town of Crystal Lake, being Wiccan doesn't exactly help the Godfreys blend in.

You may purchase a copy of Her Wiccan, Wiccan Ways (Rhiannon Godfrey)

Traci Hall is a member of Florida Romance Writers, where she got her start as a 'real' writer. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and two teenagers. You may contact her at traciella@aol.com or through her websites - www.traciehall.com, or www.tracihall.com 

Chic Galleria and Traci Hall are giving away a copy of Love's Magic, a copy of Her Wiccan, Wiccan Ways and a copy of Adoption is Forever to three lucky people who leave a comment on this article. Which book would you like to win?  Drawings will be held Monday, September  14, midnight EST.
Congrats to Danielle, Nicole and Cindi!

Looking for a great escape? This giveaway and author takes you to another world.
 
Chic Galleria is hosting a giveaway of the novel, Creator Born, by author Shirley Hiter. In this fantasy fiction, Belina Paillin is chosen by the Creator to save her world, Rheudaushim, from destruction. Such destruction hasn't been seen since the Devastation War; over a thousand years ago.  Her world still lives in the shadow of that War.  She alone can prevent the Destroyer from beginning another reign of terror that would bring her people to complete desolation.  She must study and use a power that has been restricted since the war.  Torn between following the Creator's will, and young love, she struggles against an inner turmoil. A turmoil more wrenching than the Destroyer himself could have sought for her.

This book of good versus evil keeps you spell-bound as you follow Belina in her battle for the world. A quick read with an interesting and a very engaging plot, you really will not want to put the book down until you have finished.

How do you enter this giveaway? Simply enter a comment telling us why you would like to win this book and what you love about Chic Galleria. Contest ends August 17, midnight EST. Congratulations Vicki!
 
Book Excerpt

Belina stood at the edge of a precipice, brown brittle grass coarse under her bare feet. Glancing down, she was startled to find that she was wearing no more than the skin with which shed been born. Shivering as much from outrage and fear as from the cold, she tried to ignore her chattering teeth. Gusts from a howling wind whipped her long chestnut hair in front of her face, temporarily blinding her. 
 
She welcomed the brief interlude. Chaos smoldered beneath her; a chaos which would inevitably reduce her entire world to ash. The remains of Tainsh, her village, made her want to metamorphose into the wind, but terror paralyzed both her voice and feet. Fumes from the burning carnage came and went with the gusts; causing her eyes to water and her nose to burn; making her want to vomit. The interlude was indeed brief. Below her, plumes of smoke and fire danced above gutted buildings. Places where people had worked. Places where people had lived. Tears blurred her sight, and she let them fall, refusing to wipe them away.
 
There was a purpose behind the Creator foretelling Rheudaushims future: she needed to be shown the death of her world.
 
About Author Shirley Hiter

Originally from a small town in Ontario Canada, Shirley now resides in Richmond, Virginia. She moved to the United States in October 2003 to be with her now husband and became a permanent resident in 2005. Shirley began writing her own material as a teenager with a focus on fantasy and science fiction. Since then, Shirley has completed 6 short stories and over 30 poems. 

Get the life that you deserve. This book can change your life. Bing Wilson will show you how to live a happier, more fulfilling life. Learn to use the power of the mind to create the life that you want now.

Bing Wilson was born, raised and educated in the Philippines. She is presently living in upstate New York with her husband. She is the author of Success and Happiness Now, a non-fiction paperback. Her second book is entitled Motivational Thoughts For Success. Bing Wilson speaks from the heart to encourage and give hope to those who seek to find fulfillment in their lives. She teaches about the total control of the mind and its thought process as the key to creating the life that one desires. She believes that conscious awareness of the present moment elevates the quality of life of each human being. Persuading anyone who wants to find success and happiness to live for NOW; not for the past and not for tomorrow because today is where we truly are; the only way to have a better tomorrow is to be here NOW.

She credits her mother for teaching her principles of courage, independence and perseverance as a child. Born poor, she endured hardships, living in very small quarters and sleeping on straw mats. Bing started working at the age of nine in the small deli that her family owned. Her years of hardships, has given her true lessons of conviction, faith and action.

Now she embarks in her lifelong dream to impart her first hand knowledge to help others find the success and happiness they have been looking for. Bing will show the reader:

    * How to forgive
    * How to cultivate the imagination
    * How to reject negative thoughts
    * How to have great attitude
    * How to conquer procrastination
    * The importance of learning and imparting knowledge
    * How to embrace change
    * How to materialize ideas for success

 Bing Wilson believes in the unlimited resources that the universe has to offer. She wants to show the reader that anything is possible. She wants to guide the reader to prepare his or her mind to accept a new reality. 

Success and Happiness Now is passionately inspiring. Bing Wilson speaks from a perspective of someone who was born and raised in the Philippines, a developing country. She relates fascinating stories of survival while growing up, living in small quarters and sleeping on straw floor mats. She started working at the age of nine to help support her family. Bing found courage at an early age. Her experiences gave her strength, persistence and passion for positive action. She kept hope alive while truly being engaged in each moment as she navigated towards a better future.

If you are among the many people who are seeking to find Success and Happiness Now, this book is just what you need. 

In Part 1 of the book you will learn about the power of the mind to create the life that you want. Bing Wilson will show you how to reject negativities to make space for growth. She also discusses the importance of making decisions.

In Part 2 of the book Bing Wilson will show you how to cultivate positive thoughts, as well as how to find your purpose. She will show you how to rule your emotions and how to live life to the fullest.

In Part 3 of the book you will find ways to create a good foundation. Learn appreciation and love for self.  Find out why healing of the mind can heal the body. Read about the role of faith in achieving success. Bing Wilson will show the reader why good relationships are important for success.

In Part 4 of the book you will find attitudes for success. You will read about why some people are more successful than others. Find out the root of your worries and fears. Bing will show you how to use your creative imagination and knowledge to propel you into action to create tangible results. Bing will show you to find ways to conquer procrastination. Find a list of workplace strategies for a success driven individual.

In Part 5 of the book you will learn to move forward for success. Learn about taking responsibility for your own actions and your own life. You will find out how to materialize your ideas for success.

Everyone who wants to find Success and Happiness Now must have this book. Start to live the life that you choose for yourself. 

Order it now! Go to www.successwithbing.com

Chic Galleria and Bing Wilson are giving away an autographed copy of Success and Happiness Now. Be sure to subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter to be automatically entered in all giveaways at Chic Galleria.

Elizabeth Jane Van Amelsvoort, Canadian Author of Children's, young adult, adult fiction books and Poetry was born and raised in London Ontario Canada, where she currently resides with her nine children. As a child growing up, Elizabeth always had a true passion for writing. Whether it was letter to one of her many pen pals, a poem or short story, Elizabeth would spend many hours writing, and jotting down story ideas.

The incomparable Elizabeth Jane Van Amelsvoort will steal your heart. She captivates the reader with her artistic ability to paint her story and characters with imagination, vitality, and pure magic. Few writers can convey the style and bridge to cross over that Elizabeth uses to paint a beautiful picture for young adults, adults fiction, and riveting poetry. However, she stands out by empathizing with youth, adults, and poets internationally. No matter what the age, her fans are thrilled to know that she is developing screenplays for future television and movies.

Her dream came to pass as she recently became an Author/Screenwriter. In 1993, Elizabeth first break came when she began writing her young adult, children's and adult fiction books. Her first release "The Crystal Step" came out first in electronic format.  Then became a part of series and was released in paper back in 2003.

Aside from writing books, Elizabeth has a great love for animals and nature. She has completed courses in Animal sciences and Forestry wildlife conservation and is a supporter of the Canadian wildlife foundation, other forestry and wildlife foundations, Habitat for humanity and other charitable organizations. Fans all over the world keep their eyes on the prize, Elizabeth Van Amelsvoort. She is a Top-Notch, First-Rate Reading, and a Spellbinding Author and Screenwriter to follow in the near future on the silver screen and television as well.

Elizabeth's Illustrator: Tiffany Rudd of Guelph Ontario

Visit Ejvanam.4mg.com and http://ejvanam.blogspot.com/

Books by Elizabeth J Van Amelsvoort

Young Adult: The Crystal Step, Sweethearts of the Prom, Summer's Last Kiss

Children's: Inspector Claus and the Case of the Missing Toy, Wally Waddles (NEW FOR 2009), Watch Me Grow (NEW FOR 2009)

Adults: One Voice-A Collection of Poetry (NEW FOR 2009). Plus 3 more new releases on the way for 2009.

All available online at Ejvanam.4mg.com/store.html

ONE VOICE- A Collection of Poetry launch date June 1, 2009. "This is a collection of poetry I have written over the past l year. Most written from personal experiences and or experiences I have some how been a part of in my life. I hope that my poetry is something many people can relate to and will enjoy", says Elizabeth. "People keep asking me why I chose the title "One Voice" for my poetry book. All the poems in the book in from experiences I've had in my own life or been involved in with people close to me so I called it "One Voice" because the poems are basically one person speaking out through Poetry."

Janina Stankiewicz Chung was born in Belarus in 1938, and came to the United States with her family through the Displaced Persons Resettlement Program in 1951.

Far East Of The Sun, her first novel, explores another side of World War II, that of the displaced person. Janina and her family endured thirteen years of life under Communist oppression in Russia, forced relocation to Hitler's Germany and its hellish concentration camps, and the confusion of postwar displaced persons camps.

As a mother of four, with four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Janina thanks "God everyday for my mother and father. They had the vision and endurance to bring us to freedom and opportunity that my family and my sibling's families now enjoy."

From Far East of The Sun:

His cheeks were red; lips pressed tightly together were chapped and turning blue from the bitter cold wind. Wisps of wet, blonde hair escaped from the rough handmade cap, forming small icicles on his forehead that melted against his skin like teardrops. Intense cornflower blue eyes full of despair squinted through snow-covered eyelashes, searching for the winding road buried under a foot of newly fallen snow.

Pine trees, tall and majestic with branches covered in snow and ice, were hanging low with long icicles that reached out like fingers against the passing sled; like sentries shielding the occupants from the howling wind and blowing drifts.

Sasha was perched on the small front seat of the sled. His muscular arms and body, used to hard labor, strained as he pulled on the reins, guiding the tired mare in the right direction of the once visible dirt road. Wild-eyed with fear, the mare whinnied and puffs of steam blew through her nose. Desperately, she shook her head to rid the snow off its long mane, which blinded her vision. Her hooves slid on the ice buried under a foot of newly fallen snow causing her to stumble, threatening to overturn the precious cargo in its hold.

"Whoa! Szarna...Pomaludku. Whoa! Szarna...Easy now..." In a raspy hoarse voice barely audible to the mare's ears, Sasha tried to soothe the skittish mare.

Huddled in the back of the sled was his wife Anya. Gripping the sides with frozen and numb fingers, she tried to shield herself from the falling snow. Blankets wet, rough, and threadbare offered little protection from the open heavens, emptying its cargo onto their world.

Agonizing moans muffled by the wind reached Sasha. Anya moaned again. This time, long, deep, guttural. Each bump of the sled was like a knife stabbing her back causing a new contraction, each one stronger and more intense than the last. Her deep blue eyes brimming with tears were full of terror, and gasping with dry lips she prayed, "Hospudzi Pomarzy Nam....Hospudzi Pa Miluj Nas.... God help us.... God love us. Let this child be born
safely." Anya took another deep breath. She closed her eyes before the next contraction ripped through her body.

I must find shelter soon...or we will perish...Hospudzi...Hospudzi...Pomarzy name...God...Oh, God...Help us...I have to find a way out of this whiteness...Sasha's thoughts echoed his wife's plea. He was lost and desperate. Panic set in, quickening his heartbeat as if two steel forceps were squeezing the breath out of him. Striving to fight fear with reality, Sasha began to recall the events of the past few weeks...

To order the book: Reed Edwards

Purchase: Far East of the Sun

Chic Galleria and Janina Chung are giving away a copy of Far East Of The Sun to one lucky Chic Galleria reader. Be sure to subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter to be automatically entered in all giveaways at ChicGalleria. 

Debra Purdy Kong is a mystery author from Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. She's published two amateur sleuth mystery novels set in Vancouver and in the suburbs of Port Moody and Coquitlam, where she lives. Her books are fast-paced contemporary reads that feature a lot of dialogue and a little romance mixed with humor, which is exactly what she likes to read.

"Before tackling novels, I started writing short stories and personal essays. My first published piece was an essay about my ballet days when I was an aspiring ballerina, though without any talent. In fact, the only thing I had going for me were my feet, according to my teachers, which was the essay's topic," says Debra. "Anyhow, I was paid $90.00 for that piece which was published in a new magazine. At that time, I hadn't been writing long and couldn't believe my luck. I remember thinking well, that wasn't hard; maybe I could make a living at this. But I didn't know that very few magazines paid that much money to unknown writers, and the magazine folded after four issues. It was three more years before another magazine accepted my work and five years before I was paid real cash for my stories. One thing I have going for me as a writer is tenacity!"

"I've always loved writing. When I was growing up in the sixties, there were no video and computer games. We either played outside or we read and wrote stories and plays. I've always loved reading too. In elementary school, I volunteered in the library, and still have my little gold pin for service these forty plus years later."

"The inspiration for my first Alex Bellamy mystery, Taxed To Death, happened while I was a secretary at an accounting firm, and where I met my future husband. One day, I was talking about writing mysteries over lunch with some articling students, when one of them said, "How come no one writes about us?" That sentence started the ideas flowing. I published the book in 1995, and began the sequel, Fatal Encryption, right away. But between raising children, volunteering, holding down part-time jobs, and starting another mystery series, the second book took a decade to finish. Three more years passed before it was finally published. But as I mentioned, I'm tenacious."

"Promoting these books has taken me to all sorts of wonderful places such as Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada for conferences. I've met some wonderful writers along the way, but I think the best experience has to be when a stranger says "I really liked your book". I've been writing long enough now that I also spend a fair amount of time reviewing books by unknown writers who deserve some recognition. I also like to speak about the publishing and promotion process. Mostly, though, I like to encourage people to pursue their dreams."

"I'm happy to say that both Taxed To Death and Fatal Encryption are now available on Kindle and Mobipocket. Meanwhile, I'm still working on that other series, which is currently being looked at by two publishers. I'm on the third book and with any luck, I'll be publishing mysteries for some time to come."

Visit www.debrapurdykong.com.

Kindle: Fatal Encryption

Linda Alexander has been writing professionally since 1987--starting with local newspaper pieces, then into national newspaper and magazine articles and then books. "I've written since I was a kid and there was never anything else I wanted to do. I'm also an avid researcher, and big into genealogy or, as I call it, "digging up dead people." For novels, characterizations are nothing less than spiritual personalities that want to be heard . . . whether that's literal or fictional," says Linda.

"Ever listen to Barry Manilow? Imagine if someone of Barry's standing in the pop music world, someone who sang his kind of music and had become as overwhelmingly popular, were unhappily married and found himself face-to-face with the possibility of happiness with a young woman so totally opposite him and the world in which he lived . . . how would such a world-renowned figure handle it? Toss in danger, some loonies, and a whole lotta romance-- you have the basis for my book, Weekends In New England. Someone just read it and said they thoroughly enjoyed it though they don't usually read "books like this." Funny thing is--I don't usually read "books like this," either . . . but this story had to be told and the characters picked me to tell it."

"My currently best-selling book is Reluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood, and Communism, the biography of Golden Era movie star, Robert Taylor. It tells of his early roots as son of a Midwestern doctor, his meteoric rise as a Hollywood heartthrob during Hollywood's glamour heydays, into his middle years as a seasoned movie and TV star, a public figure increasingly involved in world politics, and then his early death at the age of 58 from throat cancer. The book's been out a year and is doing well."

"I have 2 books due out this year--a re-write of Until Next Time, my 1st novel. It is a story of dark sexy intrigue and will be called It Will Happen Again;  this time it will be set near Opelousas, Louisiana. The 2nd, due out late 2009, is another Hollywood biography, A Maverick Life: The Jack Kelly Story. Jack Kelly starred in TV's Maverick in the '60s along with James Garner, many movies, and a lot of episodic TV. He also served as mayor of Huntington Beach, California . . . and he had a theatrical family background. Interesting man."

You can find Linda on Facebook: "Linda J Alexander," and on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/LindaAlexander . Visit http://www.lindajalexander.net . 

Rebecca Lerwill, a native of Germany, moved to the United States in the mid 1990s. In her homeland, and later in the mid-West and California, she has worked in the equestrian field as a trainer of dressage horses. In the summer of 2007, she published her debut novel, Relocating Mia, a romantic thriller which has been recognized as a winner and finalist by three national book awards, including the prestigious Indie Excellence award. Rebecca's latest thriller, The Acronym, is due for release March 27th, 2009. Currently she is working on her first collection of poetry which will be available in December of 2009.

With her husband, Troy, a professional rodeo entertainer, Rebecca has traveled all over the United States and the impressions she gathered during their journey inspired her to write a memoir. Becoming American is planned for release in 2010. Rebecca resides on her horse farm near the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.

An excerpt from The Acronym:

"Where does a federal witness turn if even one of the most clandestine agencies can't protect you from harm?"

"That is precisely the horrific dilemma facing Mia Trentino. Scheduled as a witness for the prosecution, Mia returns to Russia to testify against a man whose affiliation with the Russian Mafia led to her terrifying abduction less than a year before."

"During her testimony, Mia's safety is entrusted with the members of the Acronym, a covert agency consisting of former FBI, CIA, and international law enforcements agents. Their primary tasks are the war against international crime and espionage and assisting federal agencies with securing their high-profile witnesses in a special protection program."

"When Mia arrives is St. Petersburg to take the stand, her fiancé and Acronym agent, Douglas Farland, disappears without a trace and is accused of treason."

"With only limited protection, Mia suddenly finds herself trying to negotiate a deadly double-task; can she elude the merciless pursuits of the Russian Mafia in time to find out the truth about Douglas, or will they succeed in silencing her by any ruthless means they can find...?"

Rebecca will be featured on Rita Schiano's Blog Talk Radio Show on April 21th, 2009, TODAY. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rita/2009/04/22/Talk-To-MeConversations-With-Creative-Unconventional-People

"Rebecca Lerwill is a fresh voice with a fresh angle on suspense, destined
to keep readers happily turning the pages as fast as they can."
--#1 New York Times Best Selling Author, Tami Hoag

To learn more about her work visit www.rebeccalerwill.com. To purchase The Acronym visit Amazon.com. Kindle: The Acronym - White Nights of St. Petersburg

Rita Schiano, author of Painting The Invisible Man and Sweet Bitter Love, is an author, speaker and free-lance writer. "When I was a child, every Sunday morning my grandmother would rip the list of spelling bee words from the newspaper and my task that week would be to look up the words in the dictionary, learn their meaning, their pronunciation, how to spell them, and to use them in a sentence during the week," says Rita. "This once dreaded exercise led to my love of words."

"My mother also encouraged reading. I had my first library card at age five and my first typewriter, a green Tom Thumb (a gift from Santa), at age six. The cancellation of my favorite television show, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., when I was ten, drove me to write my own spy adventures featuring April Dancer and Mark Slade."

"As an adult in my late 20s-early 30s, I worked as an acquisition editor for a NYC publishing company. Tired of the NYC of the mid-1980s (a city sullied by crack cocaine and horrific homelessness, despite Reagan's assertion he saw no homeless people in NY) I moved to New England and opened an Italian-Japanese restaurant. One of my customers, Ruth Wells, (author of A to Zen and The Farmer And The Poor God) suggested I take a stab at writing again. She thought the stories of my childhood were interesting and threatened to use them if I did not."

"I began writing, short stories at first, and with Ruth's encouragement, I sent them to a quarterly, and had a few published. One short story evolved into my first novel, Sweet Bitter Love, which was published by Rising Tide Press in 1997."

"Upon selling my restaurant in 2000, I decided to pursue writing as a profession. I now make a living as a freelance writer. In 2001, while researching the online archives of my hometown newspaper for a client, I made a keying error--a simple mistake that led me down a path I'd been avoiding most of my life; on a journey inside the world of my father, killed gangland-style more than two decades ago." 

"I wasn't inspired as much as I was 'led' to writing this book. I started to write Painting The Invisible Man as a non-fiction, thinking I could take a journalistic approach to exploring my father's murder and the truths behind the man. I had about 60-70 pages written and I gave them to my partner, Michelle, to read. I trusted that she would be honest. She was."

"She told me that the writing was lacking emotion. I remember her saying, "There's very little in here about you. None of the childhood stories you've shared with me about your childhood, the crazy things you did as a kid. Nothing about your parents' relationship and the effect of your father's way of life on their marriage. Why are you not writing any of that?'"

"I didn't know why...at least not consciously. But as I thought about Michelle's comments, I realized that in order to paint a true portrait of my father, I needed to paint a family portrait and a self-portrait, as well." 

"I continued writing the story as non-fiction, yet I could not dig deeply into my creative well. My childhood memories, and emotions attached to them, had been sealed for far too many years. Hard as I tried, I could not tap that well."

"Being a fiction writer, I understood the freedom that fiction affords. Whenever I began a new story, I awaited that moment when my fictional characters would take hold and begin to speak to me, to tell me their story. It's a magical moment; it's the point when my characters begin to breathe on their own."

"I knew that fiction would offer me the freedom I needed to explore the story with emotional honesty; to explore family issues and family secrets openly while protecting, to some degree, my family's privacy. I felt, too, the need to protect my brother John, on whom the Anthony character is based. Had John followed our father home that December night in 1976, he, too, would have been murdered. In the book, Anthony commits suicide several years after his father's death. This is one truly fictional event, although it is a metaphorical statement about my brother's life in the years following the murder."

"Since much of the story takes place during my childhood, I knew I, too, would have to re-create scenes and merge memory with imagination to bring some events to life. And after the A Million Little Pieces debacle, I did not want to risk being "Frey-ed."

"I'm currently working on a novel entitled From Hell To Heaven In Five Hail Marys. The story begins with the funeral of the main character, Nico.  Nico lived an egocentric life. During the final months of his terminal illness, Nico begins examining his life, thinking about all the people he had wronged--wives, children friends, family. Filled with so many regrets, Nico asks to see a priest, takes confession for the first time in 40 years. The priest absolves Nico of his sins with a penance of five Hail Marys. Feeling free of a burdened soul, Nico reaches out to the people he had hurt throughout his life. With each phone call, Nico feels better. He dies a spiritual free man."

"That's just the preamble...The story explores the aftermath of Nico's unburdening. Nico's confessions may have delivered him to heavenly salvation, but for those he left behind, his amends created a living hell."



YouTube Video interview with David Ewen.

Visit http://www.ritaschiano.com and http://www.paintingtheinvisibleman.com to purchase the book. Purchase: Painting the Invisible Man  Sturbridge, MA

Chic Galleria and Rita Schiano are giving one autographed copy of Painting The Invisible Man to one lucky person!  Leave us your comments and let us know your thoughts on her book!  Be sure to subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter to be automatically entered in all giveaways at Chic Galleria. Ends April 17th midnight EST.

L.C. Evans loves to write. She grew up in Florida and now lives in North Carolina with her husband Bob and their three dogs. Occasionally there is a sighting around their home of a certain neurotic cat that may or may not be a part of the Evans household. Though L.C. is the author of many published mystery stories and children's stories, Jobless Recovery is her first published novel. Written in 2004 and published in 2005, the book was a response to the corporate rush to outsourcing and insourcing that--in Ms. Evans mind--threatened the American economy. Many of the events she wrote about have since come true, including massive layoffs and mortgage foreclosures.

Other novels by this author include the horse lovers mystery, Talented Horsewoman, and the soon to be published Night Camp, a children's vampire tale.

A Satirical Look at Corporate Greed

Dave Griffin thinks he has it made--beautiful girlfriend, computer programming job, and all the benefits that come with middle class life in America. Then Dave's employer callously decides to replace American computer programmers with a combination of offshore and imported labor in order to increase company profits. Now Dave is out on the street and can't find even a minimum wage job. But Dave still believes in the system. All he has to do is bring the problem to the attention of the media and the people in Washington to get results. But his agitating only deepens his trouble.

At the same time, Dave's friend Joe Tremaine, a former FBI agent who lost his job after suffering a devastating head injury, is struggling to pay for his medicine and help his daughter. Cynical Joe knows better than to trust anyone in Washington or in corporate America. He embroils Dave in his fraudulent money-making schemes, and when Joe decides to educate the powerful senator who has been the driving factor in eliminating American jobs, his plan goes terribly wrong. Dave is the only one who can help, but helping will force him to choose who and what he cares for. Can an unemployed computer jockey manage to keep Joe-and himself--out of jail? Or will the oddly-shaped bundle in the back of Joe's truck spell major trouble for both of them?

Book Excerpt:

Senator Drake's fixed smile remained in place, but Dave saw the muscles around his right eye start twitching as if they'd been hooked up to a battery. "Well," the Senator said. He paused to wave his arms, revealing patches of damp around his armpits. "Clearly, our educational system has failed to prepare American workers to compete, by golly it has. Until taxpayers vote for the dollars to upgrade our workers' skills, we've got to import people to maintain American tech superiority. Why, I've just introduced a new bill that asks for increased funding for education. Those tech workers who want jobs, those who want to work instead of complain, will take advantage of the training, so they'll have employment even during the current jobless recovery. I'm tired of racist American tech workers complaining when people from China or India get the jobs Americans can't do."
Dave rocketed out of his chair, flapping his sandwich back and forth like a cardboard church fan.  "You weasel. You lying dog. You put us out of work and then you have the gall to tell us to stop whining because we're having a jobless recovery? What the hell is a jobless recovery anyway? Excuse me, while I run down to the bank and deposit my moneyless paycheck." He clamped down hard on his sandwich and bit his finger. He howled and shook his hand. Chunks of ham plopped on the floor.

Learn more about L.C. Evans and her books at Jobless Recovery.

The White Lady Murders - a new occult thriller - is raising plenty of Goosebumps and eyebrows. In her startling debut, first-time author Wendy Potocki masterfully combines sex, murder and magic into an irresistible bloodcurdling treat that begs to be devoured in one sitting. What emerges is the undeniably fact that she is a new, original voice of horror. What caused her to write such a spine-tingling thriller?

"I'm a lifelong fan of being scared senseless," she explains, "This is my way of saying thank you and maybe a little payback for all those sleepless nights!" Her plan is clear. "My mission is to scare readers one book at a time." If The White Lady Murders is any indication, she's off to a great start. It's a novel that keeps readers guessing until the very end. A brief synopsis follows:

"In a Malibu beach house, David Lynx struggles with writing his latest tour de force - a book on magic. It's a subject he knows nothing about. In a desperate attempt to understand, he decides to perform an ancient ritual not realizing that he will unwittingly open a door for a forty-year-old unsolved murder spree to start all over again."

Her inspiration for this thriller is the legend of Lilith. "It was a difficult subject to handle. I had to put my inhibitions aside and press the pedal to the metal. I never looked back for I agree whole-heartedly with Stephen King when he said that the one thing an author must be is fearless." The result is a novel that races at breakneck speed to an unnerving and unsettling conclusion. "I've gotten a lot of feedback from fans that say my novel is a real page-turner. I must say that that kind of comment makes me happy because it means I've done my job right." Although the story is immersed in the supernatural, at its core it is an action-packed detective story replete with a hard-boiled, hard-nosed police officer named Robert Moran leading the charge.

In addition to writing spellbinding novels of horror, Wendy writes a very popular column on the subject of professional dance. Her monthly column explores the world of ballet as seen through the eyes of noted dancers. The resulting interviews are meant to give solid advice to aspiring dancers. . It's definitely something her background in dance has prepared her for. "I know first-hand how hard it is to execute even the simplest ballet move. I'm constantly amazed that the professional dancers make it look so easy."

As for future plans, she has just finished her second novel The Horns of September. It is due for release this summer. Any hints as to what it's about? "Cabals, nightmares and monsters knitted out of darkness. It also contains the mother of all conspiracy theories!" In the meantime, she's already started her third. "I love to write and plan on continuing well into the future."

To find out more or purchase a copy of her book, please visit the official website www.thewhiteladymurders.com or go directly to The White Lady Murders  

Samantha Ettus is a best selling author and on-air correspondent who is best known for bringing together a mix of celebrities and industry leaders to impart their wisdom and advice to fans of her broadcast and written endeavors.  Chic Galleria is a HUGE fan of Samantha and her books, The Experts' Guide book series!  Her show Obsessed TV, co-hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk, celebrates the most intriguing personalities of our time.

"I have always been involved in media both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. I have jumped back and forth between the creative and business sides, having worked on the creative side of things at CAA and Nickelodeon and then earning my MBA at Harvard," says Samantha. When I graduated from business school, I was the only entrepreneur in my class. I launched a first of its kind talent agency for personality-driven brands. I then parlayed that into The Experts' Guide book series with Random House. Each book is an anthology combining how-to advice from 100 leading experts. Four books later the books have included advice from everyone from Donald Trump to Rachael Ray to the Holiday Inn Housekeeper of the Year. The irony is that I have always been more interested in the personalities giving the advice, than the advice they were offering. Obsessed TV allows me to showcase the personalities behind these people brands. As both the show's creator/ host and the mother of two girls - ages 1 and 3, there isn't much time for sleep."

"Some people pick wines, others stocks. I pick people. I have always been obsessed with discovering people brands - those among us who have a spark beyond their job title and have become the leaders in their fields. Even though there are so many compelling personalities, many that are even household names, it is only celebrities who are given more than three minutes to tell us about themselves on-air. I wanted to fill this void by creating a sort of Barbara Walters for the web that focuses on experts, bestselling authors,and other luminaries.  When Gary Vaynerchuk and I met, we were bonded by our passion for personal branding and the show was born."

"Every day is fun for me because I am constantly meeting the most fascinating people - every person I interview has a passion for what they do and I find that absolutely infectious. Now that I have become part of the social media world, I am scrambling to keep up. Every day I am learning new things about the space as well as learning new things from the people I interview."

"A bad day at work for me is when I open the New York Times and they have discovered somebody wonderful that I am not yet familiar with! I like to be in the know and on top of the rising stars in almost every profession. If I am not, I feel like I haven't done my homework. Once I find someone perfect for Obsessed TV I pursue them! I cold call them to invite them to the show and if they say no I ask again until I get a yes!"

"After months of working on it, we just launched the show at www.obsessedtv.com. Our goal is to make it the leading talk show on the web by making it the most engaging and compelling show possible, satiating our community of curious and passionate viewers with content that makes them look forward to the next episode. Right now, the most intriguing people of our time hit the talk show circuit when they have something to promote. We want Obsessed TV to be their one can't-miss destination on the web."

Visit www.obsessedtv.com and Samanthaettus.com.

One of the San Francisco Bay Area's premier psychic's and personalities, Annette Martin has been featured on a variety of national and international TV and Radio programs and specials highlighting her astounding work as a psychic detective, ghost hunter, medium, author and opera singer!  In the many wonderful aspects of her amazing life, a new biography has been completed and is available for sale covering her amazing path from childhood to today!

James N. Frey has written Gift Of The White Light, The Strange and Wonderful Story of Annette Martin, Psychic. This biography about Annette Martin begins when she first discovered her psychic gift at age seven. James N. Frey brings her life story to life in this 'engaging' account of Annette's mysterious adventures in the 'Gift of the White Light'.

For over 39 years, Annette Martin has used her psychic ability, the Gift of the White Light, to help thousands of people, including movie stars, CEO's of companies, doctors, lawyers and well known personalities answer everyday questions concerning heart, career, health, emotional issues, departed loved ones, as well as assisted police agencies and the FBI in solving crimes, convict criminals, and locate missing persons. Over 9 of her cases are described in detail in this book. She is frequently featured on national and international radio and TV shows for her ghost hunting as well as her police work

* Details of some of her more interesting, high-profile cases.

* What she feels when she penetrates the mind of a killer and a victim.

* How she does what she does and whether she ever gets scared while working on a case.

* First Psychic to be sworn in as an Expert Witness in a Murder Case in Biography

Martin has helped more than 60 law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, solve heinous crimes. She has been featured on Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, CBS 's 48 Hours, Court TV's Psychic Detective, BBC,  Discovery Channel, History Channel, and many other television and radio shows.

Martin often channels Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, who she has dedicated the book to, when giving health readings.

Her predictions are uncannily accurate. In a reading requested by John Denver, she said she saw him flying a small craft that would tumble into the ocean. Fifteen years later he would die exactly that way.

My websites are filled with information on my work and Radio and TV http://www.annette-martin.com and http://www.closure4u.com.  You can purchase this book Gift of the White Light: The Strange and Wonderful Story of Annette Martin, Psychic.

I'm thrilled to let you all know that Annette Martin is giving away 1 autographed copy of Gift Of The White Light to 1 lucky Weekly Newsletter subscriber or leave a comment here.  Ends April 5 midnight EST. Thank you Annette!

Jeannine R. Reardon, Esq. is a Boston native, Suffolk University Law School alum, and former partner of Saltzman & McNaught LLP, J.R. Reardon has practiced in many areas including civil and criminal litigation.  She has taught insurance law with her father and is published in the Suffolk University Law Review.  Reardon is admitted to practice in the federal and state courts of Massachusetts, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is also active in several legal associations in both Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.  Jeannine is the author of the new legal thriller "Confidential Communications."

"The concept of 'Confidential Communications' emerged well over a decade ago. I was fresh out of law school, new to court appearances and had some down time. One night, the idea popped into my head and I found myself typing away feverishly at the computer.  Humbly, I printed out an 80 page draft for a very select group of people, had it copywritten, and then put it away in an old file cabinet. The story was well received, but life took over, my cases increased, and I became extremely busy," says Jeannine.

"In the fall of 2003, I married my husband David and moved from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C.  In January, we learned that we were expecting our daughter. Instead of taking on a job in the District, Dave suggested that I sit back and enjoy my pregnancy. I had been a partner in my own law firm for quite some time and it was the perfect time to relax, sit back and smell the proverbial roses. During that time, Dave also suggested that I revisit the book (he was one of the few to have received a copy and he truly enjoyed it - having seen firsthand for years what a critical eye he has with books he has read, I trusted his instincts)." 

"After reading 'Confidential Communications' for the first time in years, I decided "why not?"  The original program was so old however, that I was unable to convert it to Word.  So, I retyped it and began the process of expanding it.  With another decade of life under my belt, I was able to add some depth to the characters, as well as a few more scenarios.  Some of the areas Dave and I had actually visited, and a few we thought would be fun to visit, so I did some research on line and included those as well."

"Once we were happy with the final version, off it went to print.  New to the industry, I had circulated some query letters around, but stumbled upon Xlibris upon the recommendation of a college in Pennsylvania while I was writing my law review articles.  At that point, I decided, "It's done - why wait?"   As the positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads continue to pour in, I'm sure glad I didn't, and am excited for the upcoming release of the sequel."

"The story and the characters are all fictional, although I will admit that by the end, the character "Joshua" has a little David in him.  Also, 'Justice McNaught' is based in part on my late grandfather who sat on the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts.  He was the person who originally inspired me as a child to pursue a degree in law and took ethics extremely seriously.  I figured, heck, why not 'tip my hat' as a little thank you to him and make him a Justice of the United States Supreme Court?"

"Publishing a book was always on my "to do list", although it is surreal to actually hold it and see people buying it.....Here's my philosophy in life:  I don't want to turn around at age 80 and say "I wish I had done that..."  David and I want our daughter to live her life to the fullest in the same way.  The world is a great place as long as you see it that way.  If you hit any bumps in the road, maybe it's a sign for you to slow down, open your eyes and your mind, and look at life in yet one more creative way."

Visit http://www.jrreardonconfidentialcommunications.com/ and www.amazon.com.
Kindle:Confidential Communications   
 

A new book by a former Los Angeles TV news insider is getting rave reviews from local TV news anchors and reporters from around the country.  STUCK IN THE BOX: A LIFE IN LOCAL TV NEWS by Donna McNeely is now available on iTunes and audible.com.  The paperback version of the book is being distributed exclusively through Amazon.com.

STUCK IN THE BOX is the fictional story of Jackie McGee, a young woman destined to become a local TV news star--or at least that's the plan.  Jackie takes the reader on the bumpy ride from her beginnings as a small town TV reporter to her final revelations about big time local TV news.  Fast-paced, insightful, poignant, and often hilarious, Donna McNeely's STUCK IN THE BOX captures the insanity, the characters, and the superficiality that permeate local TV news.

"STUCK IN THE BOX is a literate, fun, heartbreaking look at a microcosm of the human race--the people both behind and in front of the cameras in the local TV newsrooms of America," says Jessica Kaye, President of audio book distributor Big Happy Family, LLC.  "We're delighted to add it to our roster of distributed audio books."

The audio version of STUCK IN THE BOX was produced by Richard L. Parsons and Virginia Square Audio.  It was recorded and engineered by Audie Award winner John Baker and is introduced by best selling, award-winning narrator Scott Brick.  The book is read by the author.

"We're very excited to offer STUCK IN THE BOX on the Virginia Square Audio label," says producer Parsons.  "Donna McNeely has written a wonderful book and she's made an outstanding recording of her work.  She's a very talented narrator."

In her early career, Donna McNeely worked as a local TV news anchor, reporter and producer at various local TV stations in the Midwest.  After attending graduate school, she continued to work in local TV news in Los Angeles.

Donna is a former news writer for KNBC-TV's Emmy® award-winning newscast, The Channel 4 News at 11, and regularly wrote for that station's many other newscasts.  Over the years, Donna worked as a news writer and special segment producer for KCAL-TV, KCBS-TV, and Fox11 News in Los Angeles.

Donna is also a recipient of the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Her award-winning screenplay, Julia's Child, is the story of a poor Ozark mountain boy whose life is changed when he discovers the French Chef, Julia Child, on afternoon TV.  Julia's Child is being developed as a feature film by Spectra 5V Film of Montreal.

Donna is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism and was a Fellow at The American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles. Donna said, "I've spent about half of my adult life working in local TV news.  Most people don't have a clue about what goes on behind the scenes in this business.  All I did was peel the lid off the top of the TV and allow the average viewer to look inside.  I wanted viewers to understand what they're really getting when they watch their local TV newscast."

"I've been out of the local TV news business for several years and haven't missed it for a single minute.  I needed to get some distance from it to be able to write about it.  But last year I had a chance to put some of my TV news skills to use when I was hired by the Democratic National Convention to produce the first-ever daily webcast for the convention in Denver.  I spent the whole summer there.  I also decided to put on my reporter hat again and do some of the on-camera interviews for the show."

You can check out a sample of Donna's work at the 2008 Democratic National Convention here:

      

 

STUCK IN THE BOX: A LIFE IN LOCAL TV NEWS is currently being shopped as a potential film or TV series. "That's really where I'm focused right now," said Donna.  "Selling the film and television rights so the story can reach a broader audience."

For more information on Donna and her book, you can visit her website at: http://www.donnamcneely.com

Alysia Lyons grew up in Fresno, California, and is the fourth of six children. She began writing stories on Post-It notes at the age of eight, but found a true love for writing novels at sixteen. How the Hart Breaks stemmed from a brainstorming session with a fellow writer, morphed into a trilogy, and soon took on a life of its own. Now twenty-six years old, Alysia lives and works in Fresno, CA. One day, she hopes to leave her full-time job and dedicate her life to her true passion: writing.

"My characters have a very interesting relationship to each other and I get a lot of inspiration from certain love songs.  One such song is by Nickelback called Far Away.  Any time I hear that song, I think about the series," says Alysia.  "I currently have the first book of my Isabel Hart Series released and available for purchase. Right now I'm working on revising my second novel in the Isabel Hart series."

Visit www.alysialyons.com.  Fresno, California

Raisin Toast is a story about the suburban life and experiences of a North Carolina family of 6.  From home improvement and homeschooling, photography and fine art, restaurant and product reviews, to cooking and cleaning, tips and more, Susan Vaughn keeps her family on their toes and delights her readers with her constant state of chaos and rib-tickling fun.

"I will tell you that I love writing and this blog was my way of keeping in touch with all my friends and family all over the country.  It has been a great joy for me writing "Raisin Toast" and I have made many new friends," says Susan.

My blog covers a lot of territory, Beth.  I have sections on Family and Friends, Cooking, Homeschooling and Education, Photography and Photoshop, Home and Garden, and a personal section where I fess up to past mistakes, heartaches, relationships, and more.  It is a very personal place for me to share with my friends and family and others who are interested - in my life and experiences.  It is also my opportunity to make a difference, hopefully, one reader at a time.  If I can inspire someone to be a better person, a better parent, a better teacher, a giver in this world, or prevent them from making the same mistakes that I have made in the past, then I will have done something good.  Writing is a powerful tool, and the right words can change the world, one reader at a time.  I don't always seek to inspire, although I do seek to share my real-time life experiences as well in a humorous way.  All in all, my goal is a positive one and hopefully Raisin Toast will continue to inspire and make others smile.

Sharing my story has inspired others to start blogs as well.  I love writing and this blog has given me the best forum in which to share my story with others. I have lots of stories to tell and Raisin Toast is also giving me an opportunity to keep a permanent record of our life experiences.  I hope it is here for years to come and my children can look back at the stories and pictures, videos  and comments, and enjoy reliving our experiences. It has been wonderful and hopefully, will continue to be.

In my blog, Raisin Toast, I share a lot of stories - stories of growing up - stories of my family, life experiences, and images from those days gone by.  If nobody other than my children ever read those stories, that is all I hope for.  And that is why I started Raisin Toast to begin with.  I launched this site as a platform to tell stories.  My stories.  My memories.  My life experiences - in hopes that (God forbid) if anything happened to me, they would have a record of the stories and things that meant the most to me.  I know it sounds strange, but I have thought, since the age of 25 or so, that I would not live to be 50.  I suppose my father's death at the early age of 54, and my grandmother's death (whom I never met) at the age of 50, had an impact on me.  I've always felt like an old soul despite the fact that I was the youngest in my family.  It just didn't seem enough to tell the children the stories of my family and funny stories of growing up without putting it in print - telling the story the way I remember it to be - and using the pictures to bring the story to life.

I am a fine artist in oils.  I also share my paintings with my readers and have had a few contests for a personal piece of artwork for a reader.  As for my work, I have collectors all over the world and have won numerous competitions.  This particular piece is being donated to the USS Theodore Roosevelt as it depicts the men of the Roosevelt lowering the flag as they prepare to be the first ship to leave the US, and port of Norfolk, to fight the war on terrorism one week after September 11th. 

Visit http://www.raisin-toast.com and http://www.vaughnfineart.com. 

Christa Banister is a full-time freelancer writer, specializing in music, movies and books-related reviews and interviews and is the author of two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers.

Christa, can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started?

Well, ever since I was five years old, I've loved to write and dream up stories. In fact, my Mom always says I was an easy kid to please because all I needed were paper, pens, crayons and plenty of books to be happy. And when you grow up in a small town (Ladysmith, Wisconsin is my one stop-light hometown of just 3,900 people), books and stories were the best way to escape to all the places you've dreamed of traveling to. So that, along with my love of Judy Blume's books like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Superfudge, helped pave the way toward my future career path.

Then armed with my journalism degree after four years of college in Minneapolis, Minn., I packed up whatever fit in my trusty Buick Century and moved to Nashville, Tenn., in hopes of working at my favorite music magazine, CCM. And after a year and a half of unpaid internships and a slew of odd jobs, I was hired and stayed on staff as a critic, columnist and editor for 5 1/2 years. Then around the same time I was about to get married, I decided that a change in professional life would be a good thing, too. So I launched my own freelance writing business three and a half years ago and write everything from movie reviews to magazine features. Then after a dare from a good friend of mine, I pursued one of my biggest dreams a good ten years before I expected to and began writing the novel that eventually became Around the World in 80 Dates, which released in October 2007. My book deal required that I also write the sequel in the same year, so I wrote Blessed Are the Meddlers shortly after, which released in August 2008.

Where do you draw inspiration for your work?

As the old saying goes, "art imitates life," and that's where I got the bulk of my inspiration for my novels. The friend who dared me to write the novels did so because I had such colorful dating experiences before I met my hubby. So that, combined with a good dose of imagination, is what colors the inspiration. For movie reviews and some of my other writing, pop culture plays a big part there.

Describe your books and favorite experience with your profession?

I like to describe my books as romantic comedies in book form with a side order of sarcasm. I hate predictability, so I like to mix things up a little.

As far as my favorite experiences in my profession, it was traveling across the pond to London for a CCM Magazine article. I'd always dreamt of going to London, and it was amazing to do so right before Christmas on the company's dime. Not only did I get to explore the city all by myself, but the interview was with one of my favorite bands, Delirious.

What are your plans for the future?

I'm currently working on my third novel, the last in the "Sydney Alexander" series. I'm also working on a fourth novel that's definitely a different style, so I'm excited about that as well. And in the meantime, I'll just keep writing for magazines and websites--a great life, that's for sure!

For more information, including her upcoming book signings and sample chapters of her novels, check out her Website at www.christabanister.com.

Based in St. Paul, Minn., she also weighs in on various aspects of pop culture on her personal blog at http://christabanister.typepad.com/heythereitschrista.

My favorite fictional character is coming to life February 13th - Rebecca Bloomwood.

Written by Sophie Kinsella, "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is the first book of a hilariously insightful series ("Shopaholic Takes Manhattan," "Shopaholic Gets Married," "Shopaholic and Baby," etc.) featuring the addiction that nearly all women face...times 20. Rebecca is a little Lucille Ball-quirky and Carrie Bradshaw-fabulous, who is terribly financially irresponsible. My favorite detail and realism of the books are that several chapters begin with a letter to Rebecca, from a financial institution that is demanding payments. From credit cards to loans, the debt that this stylista accrues goes far above what any person should loom over his or her head. In turn , you get to learn of her responses to these companies; the greatest excuses I've ever heard from a shopaholic. Played by the cute redhead actress Isla Fisher ("Wedding Crashers"), Rebecca Bloomwood may illustrate just how I imagined her to be. Or, like many books that go big screen, her character will lack the depth that the novel character has.

I'm curious to know if the whole series will wrap up in one movie, or will this be a series too...? I just hope that Kinsella is proud of the final product, and that everyone gains a new perspective on what it means to be a smart shopper. Oh, and did I mention that Rebecca is a financial journalist in New York City? Yes, I love the irony too.

If you need some tips on being a smart shopaholic, please contact Elana Pruitt at elana@talkingchic.com or visit her Good Girl Gone Shopping blog, where you can read additional articles revolved around budgeting thy fashion finances.

Photo Credit: http://www.sophiekinsella.com