For the next few days, I have the pleasure of hosting author Marianne Mancusi on her virtual blog book tour for A CONNECTICUT FASHIONISTA IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT, truly fun debut!

I remember when I first heard about the book, probably through Deal Lunch, and I thought it was such a clever concept! I read the book over this past weekend, and had a great time!



Here's the scoop on the story:
Once upon a time there lived an outspoken fashion editor named Kat, who certainly was not your typical damsel in distress. But when a gypsy curse sent her back in time to the days of King Arthur, she found she'd need every ounce of her 21st century wits (and pop culture references) to navigate the legend. After all, surviving a magical plot, an evil prince, and a case of mistaken identity--all without changing history or scuffing your Manolos--takes some doing!

Luckily, she's got her very own knight in shining armor, Lancelot du Lac, on her side. The honorable-to-a-fault and devastatingly handsome champion insists on helping her out, even though she's not quite sure she wants him to. After all, shouldn't he be off romancing Queen Guenevere or something? Will Kat manage to stay out of trouble long enough to get back to her beloved café lattes, cosmopolitans and cashmere? And what will Lancelot's forbidden love mean for the kingdom of Camelot?

Intrigued? Want to read an excerpt? You can at: http://www.mariannemancusi.com/Excerpt.html

Now, obviously, time travel's at the heart of the book, so I asked Marianne to answer a few questions:

JK: Everyone says you should write what you know. So. Have you ever in fact travelled back in time?

MM: No, but I often wish I could. Though maybe not as far back as Camelot. (No flush toilets or iPods there...) I'd actually like it more if I could go back for "do overs" where I could fix things in life that I screwed up until I get them right. Kind of like that old movie Groundhog Day. :)

JK: I loved Groundhog Day! So tell me ... are you really a Fashionista? Tell the truth: Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, Bergdorfs?

MM: Old Navy all the way baby. :) I like fashion, but I can't afford most of it. I do have my Kate Spade purse though. For the book, I enlisted the help of a real life fashionista reporter friend who works at my tv news station. But for me, I'm most comfortable in flip flops and tank tops.

JK: I adore my Kate Spade bag ..., but I love my Old Navy tank tops even more. I’m thinking I've just found a shopping kindred spirit.

JK: You had a lot of fun details about Camelot and the Arthur legend in the book. Was that an interest of yours before you started writing the book?

MM: I love the King Arthur legend. Growing up I read every book I could get my hands on. And even though my book is a comedy, I think it stays very true to the legend in many ways. My Romantic Times review said, "Clearly Mancusi knows her Arthurian lore." That was the biggest compliment I've gotten so far.

JK: It really shows!

JK: If you did travel back to Arthurian days and could take 3 things with you, what would they be?

My dog Molly, my iPod (if I could recharge if somehow) and bug spray.

JK: Bug spray. Yup. Again, a woman after my own heart.


Another cool thing about the book is that it's the first chicklit time travel. A Bridget Jones like character spiraling back in time to the days of Camelot. "I love the voice of Chick Lit," says Mancusi. "But I felt the same old plotlines about a girl in the city with a bad boss and good shoes were getting old. I wanted to do something a little different." So slip on your stilettos and clutch your Cosmos tight, as Dorchester Publishing and Marianne Mancusi send you on a wild, wacky, and oh-so-fashionable trip back in time...

But wait! There's more! The book has garnered some fabulous reviews:

"Sparkling debut...A nice twist on the modern girl's search for prince charming."
Publisher's Weekly

"Talented author Mancusi clearly knows her Arthurian lore. She vividly depicts the customs of a bygone era, and the wry, witty ending is perfectly Kat."Romantic Times Magazine - 4 Star Review

"It might sound like a strange premise for a chick lit novel, but once you pick it up, you won't be able to put A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court down." Kristin Harmel, The Daily Buzz, WB Morning Show

"Excellent writing, biting wit, and a slew of familiar characters will have readers of chick lit laughing and wanting more."Jani Brooks - Romance Reviews Today


And Marianne is just as fascinating as the book: Marianne Mancusi is a multiple Emmy Award winning television news producer for WHDH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts. She has worked for news stations in Orlando and San Diego. A Massachusetts native, she currently lives in Massachusetts with her British husband Aaron and their dog Molly. She has six other adult and teen chick lit novels under contract with Dorchester and Berkley.

Want to know more? Visit Marianne's website at www.mariannemancusi.com or her blog at www.mariannem.blogspot.com

And check out the book!