3 Questions and a Contest

Today’s guest has come a long way since she stopped practicing law. (Yeah, I realize there’s a certain theme in most of my interview subjects. ) Please welcome New York Times bestselling author, Carly Phillips!

Hi Carly! You’ve come up with some unique promotional ideas for your books, such as the cookie lips you sent to Kelly Ripa. What other two personal qualities do you attribute to your wild success?

Perseverance and a desire to succeed!


Your latest book, Kiss Me If You Can, comes out today. Do you still get nervous on release days? And please tell us a little about Kiss Me If You Can.

Always. I always get nervous on release day. KISS ME IF YOU CAN is the first in the Bachelor Blog/Most Eligible Bachelor series. When an online blog teams with a New York City newspaper - with the sole purpose of helping the bachelor in question find the woman of his dreams. The stories are fun, sassy and of course sexy! First up is KISS ME IF YOU CAN:

When jaded crime beat reporter and aspiring mystery writer Sam Cooper ("Coop") stops a jewelry store robbery and is given a ring as a reward, he is labeled a hero and becomes the newest Bachelor in the infamous Bachelor Blog. Lexie Davis is a free spirited web designer with no roots and a love of travel who wants to purchase the ring for her beloved grandmother’s 80th birthday. But as Coop discovers, the ring is stolen property, and when his apartment is vandalized, it becomes obvious someone wants the ring back. As Lexie and Coop team up to uncover the ring’s past, sparks between them fly. Add a cast of secondary characters working to derail the duo’s efforts and drama when Lexie’s unorthodox family history is revealed. When all is said and done, can Lexie overcome her fear of settling down, especially when she discovers Coop wants to write her grandmother’s story as the big break in his burgeoning novelist career?

I really loved writing this story and I hope readers feel the same when they read it!

Next up is LOVE ME IF YOU DARE on August 31, 2010 and it’s a direct sequel to KISS ME.

For those who love bookclubs, please check out the Bookclub I’ll be doing at my Plotmonkeys blog for KISS ME IF YOU CAN.


On your website, you mention eating lots of jelly beans during the road to publication. I have to know, what is your favorite flavor of jellybean?

I haven’t treated myself to these in years, especially since the candy store in our local mall closed! But that’s easy. I LOVE to mix Strawberry Shortcake and Coconut. YUM!


Contest:

Okay, Dear Readers, Carly’s latest, Kiss Me If You Can is in bookstores now. Like right this minute. For more info on Carly’s books, check out her website.

Today, we are giving away a copy of Kiss Me, along with her entire Lucky series: Lucky Charm, Lucky Streak and Lucky Break, to one lucky blog reader.

To enter the drawing, please leave a comment stating your favorite flavor of jellybeans. And yeah, it’s okay if you don’t appreciate the bean, but I need an alternate candy suggestion. I have to take my sugar vicariously through y’all. And please, PLEASE, if you comment anonymously, leave a contact e-mail!

Per usual, comments will be closed on Thursday, July 29, at 11AM CDT, and GK will draw a name from his Capt. Rex helmet. The winner will be posted at noon.

Legal Felgercarb:

The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada due to U.S. postal regulations. To the FTC Nazis, Carly has not paid me in lip-shaped cookies or in any other form of legal tender or trade.