Coming in June: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella's first YA novel, Finding Audrey, will be available this summer! She revealed the cover today via social media (including her new Instagram account!) and shared an excerpt via USA Today

Expected publication date: June 9, 2015

 

Description of Finding Audrey:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

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Will you follow Sophie to YA Lit or do you prefer her Chick Lit? What do you think of the cover? Leave a comment below! And click the heart if you're excited to read Finding Audrey!

Excerpt: Double Click by Lisa Becker

Double Click is a sequel to Click: An Online Love StoryIn the first book, fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene reluctantly joined her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolded entirely through emails between Renee and her best friends as well as the gentlemen suitors she met online. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and inadvertent Reply to All's, readers rooted for Renee to "click" with the right man. 

Double Click, which follows the same all-email format, picks up with the same main characters six months after the original books ends.  If the first book was about Renee’s search for love online, this book is about whether she and her friends have all found their “HEA” or “happily ever after.”  Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click allows readers to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends. 

Double Click Excerpt:

From:  PBCupLover – August 18, 2012 – 10:02 AM

To:  Renee Greene

Subject:  Forgiven?

Are you talking to me yet?

From:  Renee Greene – August 18, 2012 – 10:04 AM

To:  PBCupLover

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

No!

From:  PBCupLover – August 18, 2012 – 10:06 AM

To:  Renee Greene

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

Well, at least you responded. That’s a start.  ;)

From:  Renee Greene – August 18, 2012 – 10:08 AM

To:  PBCupLover

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

Don’t think you can add a little “wink” icon and think all is forgiven.  You’re cute in person but I’m royally pissed off and your charm isn’t translating into email.

From:  PBCupLover – August 18, 2012 – 10:09 AM

To:  Renee Greene

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

C’mon.  I’ve apologized over and over.  Again, I’M SORRY! 

From:  Renee Greene – August 18, 2012 – 10:15 AM

To:  PBCupLover

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

I know.  It’s not your fault.  Work is important.  Work is for our future.  Blah, blah, blah.  I don’t want to hear it right now.  And don’t give me some B.S. that you’ll “make it up to me” because Friday night was the “making it up to me” night out. 

From:  PBCupLover – August 18, 2012 – 10:32 AM

To:  Renee Greene

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

I don’t know what else to do.  I can’t continue to apologize.  As you already stated – although I know you were being totally sarcastic – I have to work.  It’s a start-up.  We are trying to prepare for an IPO.  I’m the CFO.  My future at this company, in the workforce, and in general financially, is all riding on this. 

Work is kicking my ass right now.  And, as a result, it’s kicking yours, too, and I am sorry for that.  But I don’t have a choice.  You can either be understanding about this or be pissed.  But I’m done apologizing.

From:  Renee Greene – August 18, 2012 – 10:48 AM

To:  PBCupLover

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

So I’m not being understanding when I expect that my boyfriend will: a) spend time with me; b) keep his word; c) not fall asleep when we’re about to have sex.  Should I go on?!?

From:  PBCupLover – August 18, 2012 – 11:12 AM

To:  Renee Greene

Subject:  Re: Forgiven?

One time.  One time I was too tired to have sex.  Do you know how many times you have told me you were too tired?  And do I give you constant shit about it? 

I know it’s been frustrating.  But do you think I like working this much?  Do you think I’d rather be sitting at my computer, crunching numbers and on endless conference calls than being with you?  Is this really how I want to spend a Saturday?

These insanely long hours at work are temporary.  But it is my “now.”  And now I’ve got to get back to work.  You can yell at me tonight if I make it home at all. 

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About the Author

Lisa Becker has endured her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love Story and Double Click.  She is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters.  So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for you!

The Power of the Wedding Cake

by Cynthia Ellingsen 

I have a true confession to share with you: When I cry at weddings, it’s not about the romance - it’s because I’m excited about the wedding cake. I think it's the frosting that gets me. The granulated sugar, the buttery texture of the floral accents and oh! The way the fondant just seems so unnaturally snow-white. The cake itself, though, can also be a delightful journey. A light and frisky vanilla interior won’t distract from the frosting. In fact, it’s a great way to cleanse the palate after each and every sugary bite.

In Marriage Matters, my latest novel from Penguin-Berkley, the cake tasting scene is one of my favorites. The three women sit down to an elegant tasting and as the grandmother and granddaughter decide to compete to see who can eat the most cake, the event descends into a raucous, sugar consumption frenzy. And I have to admit, it’s difficult to read that scene without eating a cupcake.

Brides, please know this: As you walk down the aisle in your resplendent beauty, tears of joy streaming down your face, I’ll be right there with you. Rooting for you. But in another part of my brain, I’m definitely clocking the seconds until that piece of fluffy, sugary joy gets passed around the reception.

Excerpt from Marriage Matters

Eagerly, Chloe took a seat at the table, followed by June, then her mother. The pastry chef set out a glass of water for each of them, along with a napkin and a full place setting. To the side of each plate was a small silver bucket. It looked just like a spittoon at a wine tasting but Chloe had no idea what it was for.

“The bucket,” the pastry chef explained, noticing her confusion, “serves as a receptacle. Many brides choose to take a tiny bite of cake and discard the remainder.” She handed them each a piece of paper with a small pencil. “Use this to keep track as you go. If there’s a flavor combination you like, just give it a tiny star.”

In the chocolate column, there was a lengthy list: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, German chocolate, black forest and hazelnut. Below that, the options were angel food cake, butter cake, pound cake, tres leches and (oddly) wedding cake. The specialty flavors included carrot, tiramisu and red velvet.

Many of the cupcakes were frosted with buttercream, whipped cream or raspberry chocolate. The carrot and red velvet cake were, of course, frosted with cream cheese.

Chloe’s eyes scanned the options eagerly. She hadn’t eaten any breakfast, in preparation for this little extravaganza. Suddenly, an idea struck her.

“Hey, Grandma,” she said, kicking June under the table. “Want to see who can eat the most without spitting?”

June already had a cupcake halfway to her mouth. Her face lit up. “I’ll most certainly win.”

“Chloe, we are not at the county fair,” her mother said. “We are selecting cake for your weddings.”

Chloe waved her fork. “Mom, you can either sign on as a judge or vacate the premises.”

June’s eyes surveyed the assortment of cupcakes. “I say we battle for the right to plan the bachelorette party. If I win, Bernice is doing it.”

Even though Chloe’s grandmother was cooler than most, it didn’t mean her friends knew how to throw a good party. What would they do, knit?

“No way,” Chloe said. “My friends are in charge of that. Your friends do not know the first thing about throwing a bachelorette party.”

“Then you better win,” June cried.

 “Done.” Dramatically, she reached for a square of dark chocolate cake. The cake was slightly spongy, with an earthy richness. The whipped cream frosting melted like a roasted marshmallow in her mouth. “Yum . . .”

June’s sharp eyes considered the cupcake in her hand, and she consulted with Kristine. “Should I stay away from the rich ones? Until she’s full?”

Chloe sank her teeth into the piece of tiramisu, sighing happily. “Doesn’t matter what you do, Grandma. I can eat cake for days.” The powdered cocoa on the tiramisu melded with her tongue like a kiss. It suddenly struck her that Ben would have enjoyed this tasting, since he liked tiramisu so much. Too bad they still weren’t really talking or she might have just brought him a cupcake.

“Pace yourself,” Kristine warned. “Old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time.”

June nodded. “That’s a fact.”

Chloe scoffed. “Keep telling yourself that.” She surveyed the cakes, trying to decide which to try next.

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Connect with Cynthia at facebook.com/cynthiaellingsen and twitter.com/CynEllingsen.