Author Interview & Giveaway: Belles by Jen Calonita


Welcome everyone. Today we have Author Jen Calonita on the site answering a few questions for us. Jen's  recent release is Belles, which came out on April 10th from Poppy. Read our review HERE for Belles. Other novels by Jen are: Secrets of My Hollywood Life Series 1-6, Sleepaway Girls and Reality Check. The sequel to Belles is Winter White  expected to be released October 9th 2012.


Jen Calonita Links: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Author Bio: Jen Calonita is a former magazine editor who has interviewed everyone from Justin Timberlake to Reese Witherspoon. She lives in New York with her husband, Mike; sons Dylan and Tyler; and their Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow, and daydreams about moving south. Jen is currently hard at work on her second book in the Belles series, Winter White, coming October 2012. She invites you to visit her online at www.jencalonitaonline.com.

OUaT: Is this story based on true events? If so, is it your own or someone close?

Nope! The world of Emerald Cove is pure fiction. I will say though that the part with Izzie's grandmother's illness is taken from my life.

OUaT: What an inspirational and captivating story! What inspired you to write this particular story?

I love the fish out of water element to it. Throwing Izzie into the lion's den of Emerald Cove was so much fun, especially because she is someone who knows how to overcome a challenge. I actually felt bad for Emerald Cove at first because I thought, they have no clue what they are in for with Isabelle Monroe! Izzie has a profound effect on Mira and her friends and I love seeing how their two different worlds collide.

OUaT: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I'm a writer, wife, mom of two boys, scrapbooker and Disney enthusiast who has never met a cupcake she didn't like.

OUaT: What do you do when you are not writing?

Finger paint, Playdoh, build legos--with my three and seven year old sons....basically kid stuff! I also attempt to cook badly. SERIOUSLY. I'm terrible. If someone wants to offer me lessons, I'm game.

OUaT: What projects are you working on now?

I'm actually writing the third Belles book, which will come out next year. The title is The Grass is Always Greener and it deals with skeletons in Izzie's closet that even she wasn't aware of. For Mira, there is a huge change in her life coming up and she's not dealing with it well.

OUaT: Can we expect a part 2 to Belles and see where Isabelle Scott's life is heading?

You can expect three more Belles books! Winter White (Belles 2) is out this October and I've thrown the girls into cotillion season (which, for those who don't know, is an incredible dance with all white gowns that usually requires dance lessons and etiquette classes leading up to it. Think debutante ball). My favorite part about EC's cotillion is that there is a fun behind-the-scenes rite-of-passage the girls must pass to take part in it. Izzie and Mira both handle the challenge in different ways.

OUaT: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The first draft of every book! Getting the initial story down on paper is always tricky. I use outlines to help me through it, but I find it easier to edit my own work in future drafts than in the first one.

OUaT: Who is your favorite character and why?

I can't choose between Izzie and Mira! It's like picking a favorite between your children. I love Mira's style and Izzie's spunk. They work well together.

OUaT: Did you ever live in the South? 

I have not lived in the South before, but I am fascinated by it and have always wanted to move there.

Thank you to Jen for taking time out to answer these questions for us while she is on her signing tour which began yesterday in TN. You can check her schedule for her tour HERE, to see if she is stopping near you. To celebrate her signing tour, Little Brown is providing a chance to one reader to win a hardcover copy of BELLES and a special edition BELLES lip gloss. 

To Enter:
  • Fill out the Form below
  • US Giveaway
  • Giveaway ends Sunday May 13th at midnight
  • Must be 13 years or older to enter
  • No PO BOXES
  • Read our Giveaway policy HERE
  • Do not leave email or any personal information below
  • CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE GIVEAWAYS GOING ON NOW HERE



a Rafflecopter giveaway

44 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great interview! I can't wait to read the book.

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  2. LOL I never met a cupcake I didn't like either! Great interview! :)

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  3. The South is a fantastic place to live. :-)

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  4. Great interview! I've visited the south sooo many times, but I'm not sure I could live there.

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  5. Great post! I'm looking forward to reading this book, but I have to say that lipgloss looks great!

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  6. that's so cool, the book is named after a lip gloss :)

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  7. Lovely book cover!
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  8. Great interview. Thanks so much for the giveaway. I would love to win this one. {crossing my fingers!}

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  9. I love this cover. Great interview!

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  10. The book sounds like a good one. Great interview.

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  11. I'm so excited for this book. It has everything I'm looking for right now! Fabulous interview.

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  12. Love The Interview Gotta Have This Book. Thanks For The Contest. butterfli262002@yahoo.com

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  13. Great interview!!! Thx 4 the chance!

    ctymice at gmail dot com

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  14. I'm excited for Belles..it's on my to-read :) Oh and that lip gloss shade is sooo pretty:)
    -JennyC

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  15. Wow this book sounds so good! Love the cover :D

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  16. I'm so excited for this book....can't wait to read it. Also I have major cover love for this book. Thanks for the interview and the chance to win a copy :D

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  17. Great interview! I love what you do in your free time; Playdo, Legos, and attempt to cook bad. LOL! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  18. Thank you for the giveaway! I've been wanting to read this! :)

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  19. Thanks for the giveaway! I am really excited to read this book! And the lipgloss is gorgeous.

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  20. Love the interview, and thanks for the giveaway. I've been wanting to read this book.

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  21. I wasn't sold on the cover but the interview got to me. Looks like an excellent read!

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  22. I need to add this one to my to-read list=)

    ansindt@hotmail.com

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  23. Christina K. in the rafflecopter

    I LOVE books set in the South and this one is so unique as we'll have to navigate this new world along with Izzie.

    Izzie sounds like an awesome, relatable character.

    Thanks so much:)

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  24. I am a fiend for lip gloss. If living in Scarlet O'Hara country has taught me one thing, it's a southern belle would never be caught dead without her gloss.

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  25. Ooh - love lip gloss and the color is great! Sounds like a fun read!

    Thanks,
    Leanne

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  26. Sounds really good! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

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  27. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  28. Great interview! Thanks for the awesome giveaway! :)

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  29. I've heard really good things about it - Gossip Girl meets the South sounds awesome to me!

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  30. I love the premise of this book! The South is basically awesome! Thanks so much for the giveaway!

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  31. Great interview :)
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  32. Thank you for this wonderful interview and giveaway!

    - Beckie

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  33. I'm excited for the book about cotillion season. That's something that's always fascinated me AND made me very glad I'm not a belle or deb or anything like that.

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  34. Lovely interview! It's interesting that Jen has never lived in the south, but she writes about it. :)

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  35. awesome interview! i'm really excited to read this one!

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  36. I'm with you on the cooking....and the cupcakes. ;-) Great interview. I'm very much looking forward to getting to know Izzie and Mira.

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  37. Thanks for the giveaway! It's sound like an interesting book! :)

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  38. Thanks a bunch I just love how they did the cover!

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  39. Love this cover so much! This sounds like such a great read, thank you for the opportunity to win a copy :)

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  40. Great interview! The book sounds great, I just love books about secrets. Thanks for having this giveaway.
    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

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  41. It was an interesting interview and the book sounds good.

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  42. I do hope i could win this
    Thanks for the giveaway

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