Tag Archives: interview

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Getting to Know…THE MATCHBAKER

TM_667x1000My dear friend and crit partner, Julie Johnstone, tagged me in a blog hop and only after I’d filled out this entire thing did I realize it was supposed to be for a Regency novel. So, I’ll do another tomorrow, but for now…here are some fun facts about my upcoming release, The Matchbaker…

1: What is the working title of your book? The Matchbaker

2: Where did the idea come from for the book? Dagnabit, it’s been so long, I can’t remember exactly! Cupcakes and magic are two things I’ve always loved, so it’s not that surprising 🙂
3: What genre does your book come under? ChickLit (or Women’s Humorous Fiction, to be PC)

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Rachel McAdams as Candy, Candace Accola as Holly, Ryan Reynolds as Joe and James Marsden as Colin

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Just when Candace Cooper is on her way to being a hot shot executive, her life takes a drastic and unexpected shift from NYC back to her sleepy hometown of Sagehaven, CT, where she’s forced to trade in her Manolos for an apron and succumb to a generations-old curse.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency? Pubbed under the Night Shift umbrella.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? Phew! 3+ years, off and on!

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I’d *like* to compare it to Sophie Kinsella’s novels, though I, of course, bow to the Queen of Chick Lit, and pray that this book is at least half as good as hers.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book? Cupcakes and Magic! Didn’t I already answer this?

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? It’s hilarious. At least, my hubby and I think it is. And it’s got magic. Oh, and cupcake recipes! I’ve got several bakers/bakeries contributing very special recipes for the book so you can bake along with Candy!

Here’s an excerpt:

Holly and Colin are sharing a good laugh now. How nice. I smile, trying to be a good sport, but really, this isn’t helping at all. Considering I’m going to be the primary baker at Candy’s Confections, I don’t find this memory particularly amusing. It’s frightening, actually. What were my parents thinking?

What am I thinking?

Once they calm down, Colin takes another sip of his drink, and then turns to me. “So, I assume you’ve learned to bake since then, right?”

They’re both staring at me, so I force a little laugh and say, “Sure! I mean, it can’t be that hard, can it? It’s not like I’m a mindless teenager anymore, anyway. I’m sure I can follow recipes a lot better than I used to be able to.”

Colin raises his eyebrows. “You mean, you don’t actually know how to bake now?”

I roll my eyes, trying to play it off. “Well…not in so many words, but it’ll be fine.”

“If you don’t know how to bake, then why are they insisting you…bake?” Colin looks just as confused as I feel right now.

I want to answer him honestly, but if I start talking about the change he’ll probably try to have me committed. I’m considering that option myself. At least it would get me out of all this.

I fish for another reason, but my mind is blank.

“Because she’s the oldest!” Holly puts in and I can see by her smile that she’s proud of her fast thinking. “It’s family tradition, apparently. So Candy just has to learn.”

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Interview with the Whitton twins!

Lady Isabel and Lady Emma have been interviewed this morning at Lilia Birney’s blog! Stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle, Amazon gift cards and many, many more prizes!!

Interview with the Twins

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Meet Amy De Trempe and win a free book!

Today, I’d like to welcome my good friend, and Inspirational Regency author, Amy De Trempe!

Jerrica: Hi Amy! Thanks so much for joining me today. I’m excited to talk to you about your books because I think you have quite a unique blend of Regency historical and Inspirational to your stories. I haven’t read a ton of Inspirationals, but what I appreciate is that the “faith” aspect is there, but not shoved down the reader’s throat. Did you plan your books this way? Is this the trend in the genre? Or do you see it as an extension of your own life, in a way? The kind of “lead by example” thing?

Amy: I am happy to be here, Jerrica. Thanks for having me.  I didn’t necessarily plan how my books would turn out. I knew I wanted them to be Inspirational because faith is very important to me. And I wanted to write a historical that I would want to read. By the way, I’ve been reading secular regencys and other historicals for more years than I will admit.  So, I decided to write the regency I always wanted to write and and made at least one of my characters a strong Christian so I could write the type of inspirational I’ve been looking for but have found few of.  Are my Christian charactes perfect? Far from it.

I do think there is a trend of Christian romances being less preachy and more edgy. In fact, there is a group who write what they call Edgy Christian Fiction.  I haven’t read any of their books yet, but from what I understand, they break the rules and so do I.  I am not sure what all of the rules are anymore, but when I began writing my inspirational the Christian character could not drink, dance, be in the bedroom with the hero/heroine, and a few others I can’t think of right now. I broke all of those listed.  My story called for it.  So, is it a true Inspirational? I don’t know.  Is it a Regency or a Georgian Romance? Yep.

Jerrica: Well, I personally love a rule-breaker, so maybe that’s why I liked your books so much. What’s a rule your hero or heroine broke that might be controversial in the industry, and what would the book be like without it?

Amy: Well, Loving Lydia opens with the hero, Lord Alexander Wake, in the middle of a physical fight with a few gentlemen because he is trying to take a scantily clad woman from a brothel. This isn’t the last time you will find Lord Alex in a brothel. He vists them a few more times, even after he is married.  But, don’t be too quick to judge him ;).  As for Lady Lydia, she decides to kiss a number of gentlemen in society, though none of them are Lord Alex. I did touch on one taboo subject, but it happens at the end of the book so I can’t give that away.

In The Healing Tree, my heroine, Lady Lilain Bliant, knows nothing about God, faith or the Bible, so she was able to get away with a number of things early on, including the threat of castration, and more than one lie.  My hero, Lord Maxwell Warrick has always been very clear and strong in his faith.  But, that doesn’t keep him from getting drunk one night, and like a number of people, regretting it in the morning.

And in my novel, soon to be released, Pure is the Heart, my heroine, Elise LeNoir, has intentionally sinned and fears this will keep her from God, but I can’t let you know what that is either without giving the book away. As for our hero, also strong in faith, he is betrothed to one woman and in love with another.  He does everything in his power to break the engagement, and some of his attempts are not so Christian-like.  He also visits our heroine in her bedchamber and kisses her, while still engaged to the other woman.

These are just a few examples but to tell you more would be to give away the stories.
Jerrica: You’ve really done a great job of making your characters sound human. Nobody’s perfect and to portray them as such just wouldn’t be realistic. So, brava! 🙂

Okay, now, a la James Lipton of Inside the Actor’s studio, I will have you answer the famous 10 Questions that he makes all his guests answer…


1. What is your favorite word? Scrumptious
2. What is your least favorite word? Disappointed
3. What turns you on? Thoughtfulness
4. What turns you off?  dirty odors
5. What sound do you love? A baby’s laugh
6. What sound do you hate? Dentist drill
7. What is your favorite curse word? Bullocks (I tend to get stuck in the Regency and Georgian Period at times)
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? History Teacher
9. What profession would you not like to do? Coronor
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?  Welcome home. 

Thanks for joining me today, Amy! And best of luck with your fabulous novels!

 

Amy is giving away digital copies of The Healing Tree to 3 lucky commenters today. [They will be in Kindle format, but Kindle is available free for almost everything: iPhone/Touch, iPad, PC, Mac, Android or Blackberry.] Just leave a comment and you’ll be entered in the drawing!