FAB Pick - CATCH OF THE DAY, Kristan Higgins

Have you ever gone on a BOOK DIET? Let me tell you, it sounds brutal. I decided to do this so that I would finally have the motivation to put the finishing touches (and by that, I mean a few THOUSAND words. And "few" is stretching it a bit, ok?) on my very own WIP, tentitively titled Almost Southern. The thought was that if I was not allowed to read any books, I would have LOTS of time to actually get some writing done. Remember that I am a true READER, ok? My book habit is generally upwards of 30 a month. No, I'm not kidding.

So, the plan: Stop reading and start writing. Good plan, eh? However, I know me. And, knowing me as well as I do, I knew I had to allow myself to have at least ONE book to be able to read during the month I'd set aside for myself to finish up all the bits and pieces of my own story. So, the search was on for that ONE book. I checked lists, I searched author's websites, I asked around at bookstores, trying to figure out which ONE book would capture and hold my attention for 30 solid days.

Then I got an e-mail from Charity. "Hey, you know Kristan's book comes out in a few weeks, and I got a copy already, and it's FABulous!" Wuh?!? She got a copy? Why didn't *I* get a copy too? So I whined a tiny little bit and one magically appeared in my mailbox.

See, you have to go back in history a bit to understand this. I met Charity over on the Cherry Forums, remember? We found each other through a love of Jennifer Crusie books. We started our personal blogs around the same time. We also both started reviewing books around the same time. Then I started this offshoot blog, just for reviews, and asked her to join me. It works, as we're both "D/dee", and we love to dish about NEW authors, as well as our tried and true faves. Over the past year, Charity has introduced me to many books and authors, and I am so thankful! She was responsible for me finding Joshilyn Jackson, and I travelled to meet JJ last summer.

Then last fall, Charity found Kristan Higgins' book, Fools Rush In. As you saw on the previous post, Kristan was really responsible for what you know as our "Fabulous Authour/Book Pick of the Month", where we spotlight a breakout book or a wonderful new author, and introduce you to them. We LOVE when we find a book worthy of the FABPick title. And all of the authors that we've spotlighted have been so gracious, starting with Kristan.

Kristan answered questions, exchanged e-mails, and even offered signed copies of her book to contest winners. So, on top of her FABulous writing skills, she also turned out to be a really cool e-mail-friend. Then, I got to meet her in Dallas, and it just blossomed. I realized that not only is she a FABulous author and really nice on the other end of an e-mail, she's FUN, and FUNNY, and WITTY, and KIND as well. She mother-henned me through my first RWA National conference, and introduced me to so many people my head was swimming. But it didn't stop there. She actually checks in on me to make sure I'm still writing. How cool is that?

But I'm worried that you'll think we only picked her FABulous new book, CATCH OF THE DAY, because we know her and like her as a person. Well, I want you to know that had I never met her, I'd still be THRILLED to have picked COTD as my ONE single book, for my Book Diet. It was everything that I expected, and more. I've read it no less than 32 times, and feel like I've actually spent a month with Maggie and Father Tim and Malone and the rest.

And I'm still not sick of them.

If that doesn't tell you something, I don't know what will. Except maybe you should check back this week for the actual DoubleDish of CATCH OF THE DAY, and an exclusive interview with Kristan. She may even answer YOUR questions, if you leave them in the comments section. So stay tuned for more on this FABulous book, and this wonderful author, all week long!

Keep Turning Those Pages!