Guest Post: The Feel-Good Factor of a Romantic Comedy by Sarah Louise Smith

Hello my little maple leaves! Yes, that's right. I've come out of hiding again. Well... sort of. Today's blog post is courtesy of the fabulously talented Sarah Louise Smith. Take it away, Sarah!

The feel-good factor of a romantic comedy

Firstly, thank you so much to Anna/Libby for allowing me to take over her blog today!

If you don’t know me, I’m Sarah and I’m a chick-lit author. But enough about me. Today I’d like to talk about romantic comedies and why we ladies love them so much.

Now, I may be biased (being British myself) but aren’t British romantic comedies such so darn cute and charming? How can any warm-blooded woman not enjoy a bit of Hugh Grant bumbling over Andie McDowell or Julia Roberts? Or Bridget Jones flitting between him and the lovely Colin Firth? And, one of the best of them all, there’s Jude Law and Cameron Diaz falling in love in Surrey, England in The Holiday – just wonderful.

Then there’s the American chick-flicks – a bigger budget perhaps, a more confident hero, definitely – like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Definitely, Maybe and Friends with Benefits … not to mention the other half of The Holiday.

There are tonnes more, of course. My personal favourite is probably Love Actually.

So what is it that makes us keep watching these so-called chick-flicks (I use the term ‘chick’ loosely; my husband enjoys them too!)?

I think it’s the feel-good factor.

When the boy gets the girl, and they share that first kiss or utter those three magical words, I get a warm, gooey happy feeling inside.

And that’s why I write chick lit. I read a lot, and I like to pick up a book that’s fun, romantic and gives me that feel-good factor. Sure, it needs a little depth too, but really want I’m looking for is that happy, satisfied feeling when I close the last page. So to create that story for someone else, hoping they too get that nice warm buzz from my story, well, that’s something I can’t resist.

So, now I’ve rambled about that feel-good factor and shared a few of my favourite movies; back to little old me.

I’ve just written my third chick-lit novel – Independent Jenny – and it’s out on September 16. It’s about a girl who’s husband cheats on her, and then her brother-in-law tells her he has feelings for her… then she meets her ex-boyfriend again and between these 3 men, her feelings go hay-wire. If you too like the feel-good factor of a nice rom com, you may enjoy this, or one of my other books too. Shameless plug over.

Have a fantastic day!

About Sarah Louise Smith:

Sarah Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes, England, and spends most of her time reading and writing chick-lit. She’s the author of three novels: Amy & Zach, Izzy’s Cold Feet, and Independent Jenny, all published by Crooked Cat. Visit Sarah’s website/blog: www.sarahlouisesmith.com

About Independent Jenny:

“I slept with someone else.”

Those five words changed everything.

After her husband Ross drops a bombshell, Jenny’s emotions go hay-wire. Things are made even more complex when his brother Aiden makes a confession of his own…

A holiday escape with her friend Hayley seems the perfect way to figure out what – and who – she wants. But Hayley has a hidden motive that results in Jenny spending time with her ex-boyfriend Will, who is now married.

Should Jenny forgive Ross? Can she ignore her feelings for romantic Aiden? And why can’t she get Will out of her head?

One thing is for sure: Jenny doesn’t want to be alone. Surely any man is better than no man, right?

Fancy a read?

You can purchase paperbacks or e-versions from all the usual online book sellers.

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/author/sarahlouisesmith

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Louise-Smith/e/B00AX55ZOI/

Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahSmith16

Find Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahlouisesmithauthor

Guest Blogger: Jacqui Jacoby

Hello, my little raindrops!

I'm busy doing all the last minute pre-release stuff for The Karmic Connection (can't believe launch day is in 5 days!) and things are naturally insane, so I'm particularly pleased to welcome Jacqui Jacoby today as a guest blogger. Or to be more accurate, I'm actually welcoming Jaime Walsh, the star of Jacqui's latest book, With a Vengeance. Take it away, Jacqui! Er... I mean Jaime!

A Day in the Live of Jaime Walsh

By Jaime Walsh, star of With a Vengeance

Once upon a time … that’s usually how stories start, don’t they?  Well once upon a time there was a CIA Operative who managed to finally get some time off.  There was me.

Time off doesn’t come around very often.  Assignments, sometimes lasting weeks or months, often back up against each other with only a few days between to get some down time.  The bosses have the next job planned before we even get in the door.  It takes some prep time to get ready to go.  What part of the world will we be in next? Who is on the team? What is our objective? 

All important questions.  All, plus more, that have to be answered before we get on the plane.

But not today.  Today is my day.  A day I get to do with as I see fit without answering to anybody.

And the first thing I am going to do is sleep in.  I mean way in.  I pull the blinds tight, turn off my cell phone and cover my head with a pillow.  I wait for the time when my body says it has had enough sleep and not when an alarm goes off.  If someone knocks on the door, they get ignored.

This is just for me.

Staying in shape is important to me.  It means I will be up for the next obstacle that comes my way.  Even on the job I manage to get in a couple mile run a day.  I shoot for six days a week.  On my day off though, after I climb from that warm bed, I won’t be hitting the streets or a treadmill.  I will be lucky if I even get dressed.  Laying around in my pajamas signals my brain this is the day we’ve been waiting for.

Food is easy.  I live in New York City and have a drawer full of take out menus.  Finding someone to deliver is a simple matter of looking through the pile and deciding what it is I feel like today.

What to do to fill up the hours in between is the real challenge.  I’m not used to having nothing to do and doing nothing makes me uneasy sometimes.  I look for that closet that needs reorganizing or the letters that need to be written. I have to work at not working.  I could get lost in a good book, but there is not enough time to get through one of the titles I might like to read, something off the classics list.  A movie is always a good choice.  I can make myself some popcorn and turn on a Cary Grant comedy.  Maybe Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House or Bringing Up Baby.  Maybe both.  Probably both.

Yeah, that sounds like the perfect kind of day.  I won’t even look at the files in my briefcase until tomorrow. 

I love the idea of a CIA Operative lounging around at home, watching classic movies. Jaime Walsh certainly sounds like an interesting character. Here's the book blurb for With a Vengeance:

WITH A VENGEANCE

The more she wanted out, the more they dragged her back in!

Daughter to murdered CIA officers, niece to a deputy director, Jaime Walsh has never known life outside the world of espionage. Until a high-action case in Buenos Aires leaves her gutted. Physically, emotionally…and professionally.

She’d planned for her long-overdue vacation to be a time to rest and reassess. With her longtime partner Stephen not far behind, it’s a tropical paradise away from work. A paradise where boundaries will be tested.

From their training days, Stephen Reid has watched Jaime kick ass while performing what has become his second job—watching her back. But now his feelings have grown.

As best friends look at each other in a new light, they like what they see. And Jaime dreams of a new life outside “the company”.

Except someone from their past won’t be satisfied until Jaime and the man she loves are hunted to the brink of death. Now Jaime must find the strength to trust her heart and let go of her fear. Before she loses everything…

And now for the links: 

You can read an excerpt here.

Read the reviews here.

Find it at Samhain here.

Find it at Amazon here.

Find it at B&N here.

Find it at Powells Books here.

Thanks for being on the blog today, Jacqui! Er... I mean Jaime!