win hardcover SOMETHING BORROWED autographed by the entire sobo cast (and me!)

As the countdown to the release of HOTM continues (11 days), I am happy to announce another giveaway: an original, hardcover copy of SOMETHING BORROWED autographed by the entire SOBO cast (and me)!

To enter, all you have to do is "LIKE" (what used to be called "Become a Fan") my Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/EmilyGiffinfans) by May 10th at 4 pm EST. Anyone who is already a fan of the page will automatically be entered in the drawing.

The winner will be announced LIVE on a Facebook chat I will be doing with Barnes & Noble, beginning at 4 pm EST on May 10th. You can RSVP for the chat here: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113339988701059&index=1. I will also post the name of the winner on my Facebook page and blog in case you can't make the chat. And feel free to join us even if you don't officially enter the contest. The more the merrier!

So go out and spread the word! You have 10 days to enter--and 11 days until HEART OF THE MATTER is released! Hope to see you on my tour!

sobo in soho

Scene shot in SoHo at Spring Lounge. A little flashback action...

thanks to everyone who bought Irene Zutell's book!

Thanks to all for participating in the PIECES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER giveaway. I am so excited to be sending 345 signed books out to readers! Unfortunately, our supply of books has run out, but I am happy to send you a signed book plate to put in your book--almost as good as a signed book, and maybe even better, as they are really cute. Stay tuned to SheKnows.com for an exciting announcement next week.

Dex. Wow.

click on this link to see shots of Colin Egglesfield as Dex. Wow.

she is darcy

Shot of Kate Hudson at her premiere last night. To the naysayers who are concerned with hair color and other physical attributes--TELL ME SHE DOESN'T CHANNEL DARCY!! Totally hot with attitude. I love it.

ready, set, action!

Sobo filming began yesterday! I talked to Molly Smith, one of the producers, last night around one in the morning, just as she was getting back to her apartment after a 12-hr work day. She said the first day was amazing. They did the 7B scene (chapter one) with Dex and Rachel--a scene that was probably rewritten, revised and tweaked more than any other. In the book, I didn't really delve into their conversation, but simply wrote: "Dex and I talk about our jobs and our Hamptons share that begins in another week and a lot of things. But Darcy does not come up and neither does their September wedding." So the screenwriters had to somehow capture the mood and feel of the moment--all the subtext... Their old friendship. Rachel's wistfulness over not having someone like Dex. Her feelings of turning 30. The nostalgia over law school and her twenties. A subconscious attraction... In any event, I'm sure Ginnifer and Colin were amazing, capturing all the nuanced emotion of the scene. I can't wait to see it!

(note Ginnifer's footwear on the way to work. Interesting trivia: she is a vegan and does not wear leather. so respect that!)

mother's day giveaway

I can’t believe it’s almost May! Just a few more weeks until HEART OF THE MATTER is released! I was thrilled to see that Barnes & Noble just reviewed the book, dubbing it an “enthralling character study that is rendered artfully through alternating voices”—and I hope you feel the same when you read about Tessa Russo and Valerie Anderson. The book explores many themes—and among them is the complexity of motherhood—which is why I’m pleased that the book will be released so close to Mother’s Day.

In the meantime, I’d love to recommend another book about motherhood that I think you all will enjoy. PIECES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Irene Zutell is a fabulous, touching story about a young mother named Alice who seems to have it all--a sweet five-year-old daughter, a handsome attorney husband, and a beautiful home in L.A. And yet, Alice’s life begins to unravel when her husband leaves her for his client, a movie star known as the "sexiest woman alive" and Alice becomes a buffet for a paparazzi feeding frenzy. As she tries to shield her little girl from the nightmare, she must also care for her aging mother who has Alzheimer's. Throw in a former high school flame, a sexy paparazzo and some strange neighbors and you won't be able to put this book down.

So, in celebration of Mother's Day, the release of HEART OF THE MATTER and my love of Irene Zutell's new book, I'm throwing a fun little giveaway. On Wednesday, April 28--for one day only--if you order PIECES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER and email your receipt and mailing address to egiffin@gmail.com with subject line "Zutell" I will send you an autographed copy of any of my first four books—your choice. (Note: only while supplies last – but there are plenty here!) And finally, please stay tuned for another exciting contest coming up at SheKnows.com!

sobo!

Last week I visited the set of sobo (click to see more photos) and met the cast (minus Steve Howey who hadn't yet been named as Marcus). It was fascinating and beyond thrilling to see the film begin to come to life. When I arrived on the set, they were doing hair and make-up tests which was a much more involved process than I imagined, i.e. hours and hours of changing clothes and testing nuances of hair, makeup and wardrobe--seeing exactly how each "look" for every character appeared on camera. I watched the brilliant costume designer Gary Jones tweak outfits, such as changing John Krasinski's heather-grey T-shirt to a red one to go with his J-Crew madras shorts in a Hamptons scene and how each of his adjustments made the colors and textures that much better on-screen.

Meanwhile, the producers and screenwriter sat upstairs in a conference room going through the script, refining and polishing it for what feels like the hundredth time. At one point, as John Krasinski sat in the room giving his thoughts about a scene and his dialogue in it, I thought about how very collaborative making a movie is, how it takes so many people and creative perspectives to make a movie truly special.

Along these same lines, I watched Jane Musky, the very personable set designer, work on her “interior design” for Rachel’s apartment and the Hamptons house. She blew me away with how dead-on she got Rachel’s apartment—even down to details I hadn’t described in my book (like Rachel’s desk and light over it). She has a very grown-up, chic but cozy version of Anthropologie which is exactly how I imagined her taste.

So now to the good stuff… the actors! ... As soon as I walked onto the set, I met Ginnifer Goodwin (who goes by Ginny) and Colin Egglesfield and was overwhelmed by how incredibly down-to-earth they both were. Ginny is a natural beauty--with the prettiest face and sweetest expression, and for a second, I seriously got confused and thought I was meeting Rachel. She is so perfect for the role and I was incredibly flattered when she told me how much she loved my book, how she had memorized passages and inserted some of the dialogue from the book back into the script. (Later, Luke Greenfield, the director, would tell me that the two quiz each other on details of the book. At this point, I think they'd both beat me. To this point, when Luke asked me where Claire was from, I blurted out "Westport" when she is actually from Greenwich)... A few more tidbits on Ginny: she is teeny-tiny, much smaller than I thought she'd be, and she was wearing one of her wigs--which did not look at all like a wig--a simple, brown shoulder length do which, again, is just how I imagined Rachel's hairstyle.

Colin Egglesfield, too, was unbelievably nice—especially for someone that ridiculously good looking (sort of like Dex). I wrongly assumed he’d be arrogant—or aloof at best. Instead, he was all Midwestern charm, showing photos of his nieces (he has five) on his iPhone and discussing Dex’s character in depth, asking dozens of questions about what law school was like, even down to whether we had multiple choice questions or essays on exams. At one point, he tried on four pairs of sunglasses for my friend Ally and me, asking which we preferred on him (all looked amazing—but we managed to come to a consensus).

I then met Ashley Williams, aka Claire, who is hilarious. She is so funny that she somehow managed to make standing silently in front of the camera funny. She and Ginny are very good friends, having roomed together in acting school (or whatever it’s called), and both told me how excited they are to be working together. Ashley also told me how thrilled she is about having to gain weight for the role, particularly loving the milkshakes she's been downing for her first ten pounds. I had the feeling she resembled someone and finally realized it is her big sister, Kimberly (Father of the Bride)--who I love.

Moments later, Kate Hudson, in one of her many hot outfits, sauntered into the room and instantly lit it up just as I knew she would. She is a true movie star, everything about her sparkling, glistening, and gorgeous—and she is as much fun as I always thought she’d be. We chatted about a mutual friend and fashion, specifically all her outfits on set--as she described how she pictured Darcy's wardrobe (Fendi, Chanel, Dolce--classic with a sexy twist). She complimented my Lanvin necklace—and I told her Darcy was free to borrow it. :)

I only briefly met John Krasinski, but it might have been the highlight of my day. Maybe it’s because I adore Jim on The Office, and maybe it’s because Ethan is my **favorite** character in any of my books, but I admit I had a starstruck moment. I just love him, and know he is going to be brilliant, as are all the actors in this ensemble cast. I am so happy with the decisions the producers and director made, and although some of the physical resemblances aren’t exact, each actor channels the essence of their character. Whatever you think now, I promise you are going to agree when you see them!

That’s all for now, but I will be bringing you more sobo scoop soon…

And the winner is.....

I am thrilled to announce the winner of the HEART OF THE MATTER Atlanta Launch Party giveaway!!! ... Congratulations to Amy Goodrow! ... Amy--I hope to see you (and a friend) in a few weeks in Atlanta. You are going to love the Loews Atlanta Hotel and Bistro Niko! In the meantime, I will send you a hot-off-the-presses finished copy of HEART OF THE MATTER--and fully expect it to be read by the time you arrive. :)

Thanks to everyone for posting comments. I read them ALL and really appreciate all the kind words and enthusiasm. Please check back Monday for another exciting giveaway! And stay tuned for "sobo" movie scoop and photos!