Guest Post with Linda Wisdom - HEX IN HIGH HEELS

Linda Wisdom, author of Hex in High Heels

Even More Fun After All These Years

Thank you to A Journey of Books for having me here to talk about why after so many years of writing I’m having the most fun now.

As one who always wanted to write books, writing, and selling, my first two books was a total high. Writing romances was a great way to see what direction I would take since in the beginning traditional romance didn’t give us a lot of leeway. As the years passed, I found myself trying something new and I still laugh at the memory of a former agent reading a new proposal and saying “I didn’t know you could write romantic suspense!’ Actually, I didn’t either. I had been so struck by the movie Ladyhawke that I wrote my own doomed lovers book and it was published by Dell Ecstasy Supreme, A Perilous Affair.

I wrote one action adventure romance since I’m a big Indiana Jones fan. A lot of humorous romance because I like the idea of making my readers laugh and some romantic suspense books because I enjoy the genre.

But paranormal always tugged at my heart. A vacation in the gorgeous beachside town of Monterey had my imagination ticking away with paranormal elements involving a psychic who ‘sees’ a murder in scenes. I loved writing the book and it did well for Harlequin American Romance, title A Man for Maggie, but paranormals weren’t as popular back then.

Not that it stopped me. I worked up more ideas for paranormal books and even promised to send my then agent lots of aspirin with the proposals, because she didn’t feel they’d have a chance. Luckily, my editor felt differently and she was planning a Halloween book and took the other paranormal ideas I had.

Yay! I could write what I loved. It was short lived since it took quite a few years before I could write about things that go bump in the night, but that didn’t stop me from coming up with ideas and trying to convince my editor that paranormal was the way to go. I’m just stubborn that way. :-)

Plus there was an idea about some rebellious witches that kept creeping into my head. Dangerous place, my head. Anything can happen there. Some things might astound the world. :-)

Maybe that’s why I refused to give up. I knew I had to write these books, even at the time, I was told to pretty much forget it. But then not everyone knew Jazz and her fellow witches. I knew I had to write them and a new agent saw my vision. And yes, she’s as demented as I am.

All of a sudden I’m delving into spells, witches, vampires, man-eating bunny slippers, wizards, gargoyles, and Were Border collies. What can I say? Everyone else was writing werewolves. I wanted to be different.

And I was having fun. There were days when I sat down at my computer with no idea what was going to happen, but it didn’t matter. Because I knew it wasn’t going to be boring.

And the best part of this? Readers told me they enjoyed my books and the characters. Fluff and Puff, the fangy bunny slippers are convinced they’re stars and the witches just keep on coming.

I have a very big thank you to the readers who keep on sticking with me. They’re letting me work and laugh at the same time.

Linda

Hex in High Heels, Book 4 in the Hex Series, In Stores October 2009!

In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated...

Blair loves running her vintage shop and hanging out with witchy friends Stasi and Jazz. She's forever had a crush on hunky carpenter Jake Harrison, whose Were nature (he's a Border collie) makes him loyal, lovable, and fierce when need be. Just as sparks are beginning to fly, Blair is served with a big surprise when Jake's mother shows up along with his pack leader, who threatens to make Jake heel! When the alpha does the unthinkable, Blair is pushed over the edge. No one messes with her boyfriend-to-be, even if he does shed on the furniture!

About the Author

Linda Wisdom has published more than 70 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide including traditional, paranormal, humor, action/adventure romance, and romantic suspense. Her bestselling books have been nominated for Romantic Times awards and the Romance Writers of America Rita Award. She lives with her husband in Murrieta, California.

Author Interview with Shobhan Bantwal - THE SARI SHOP WIDOW

The perfect cure for a cloudy day is a wonderful book. THE SARI SHOP WIDOW is such a book and I am thrilled to be able to share an interview with the fabulous author, Shobhan Bantwal.

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What was your inspiration for writing THE SARI SHOP WIDOW? Why was it important for you to tell this story?

Little India in Edison, New Jersey is a quaint and interesting enclave of Indian sari and clothing shops, restaurants, jewelry and music stores, and food bazaars. The neighborhood is a slice of India transplanted into the heart of suburban U.S. My family and I go there often to shop and have a good meal. I always thought it would be make a great setting for a novel.
It is important for me to tell this story because it offers a rare glimpse into the immigrant Indian-American experience and a look at the ethnic fashions that have now become popular with mainstream American women and men.

Did you come across any snags or any roadblocks when writing it?

I did not experience any roadblocks at all. It flowed well except for the usual interruptions that life seems to bring.

What is your favorite aspect of THE SARI SHOP WIDOW?

The flavors, colors, scents, and textures of India that I could put into a story set in the U.S. is my favorite aspect because many more American readers can relate to the characters.

How are fans responding to your book?

Fans are responding with marvelous enthusiasm. The book went into its second printing well before the release date. That speaks for itself.
Did you have to do any special research when writing THE SARI SHOP WIDOW? How did this impact the book?

I had to do practically no research because the Little India area is not far from where I live and I visit it often. The streets, the shops, and the atmosphere are something I am very familiar with.
Did you incorporate any of your own life experiences into the story?

Other than the cultural elements, there are no autobiographical portions in the book. It is purely my imagination.

I was completely struck by the beauty of your book covers. What are your thoughts on them?

I consider myself very fortunate to have a publisher whose art department produces such lovely covers. Incidentally, the girl on the cover of my debut book is my daughter. It is her wedding photo, dressed in her bridal finery that was used on THE DOWRY BRIDE cover, which was an absolute thrill for me.

Can you tell us a little bit about your journey on the road to publication?

My writing career started in middle age, so I call it my “menopausal epiphany.” Never having written anything creative, I was oddly inspired to start writing at the age of 50. It has been a tough battle, though. Finding the right agent and publisher for books that don’t quite fit into any established genre was a challenge. But I am pleased that there are people out there who will take a chance on a new author with a different kind of writing style and themes.

What do you like (or dislike) about writing in this genre and publishing eBooks?

I love mainstream women’s fiction with romantic elements, therefore this is my niche, and I enjoy writing it. I call it “Bollywood in a Book.” My books don’t quite fit comfortably into any genre, but that makes them unique. My books are published primarily in print form but they are available in electronic and Amazon’s Kindle version.

Why did you decide to become an author?

Frankly speaking, I stumbled into creating writing. When my husband accepted a job that took him out of state Monday through Friday for five long years, I decided to take up a nice, cozy hobby. We were empty-nesters, so my evenings were my own. I started as a freelance writer for some small publications, then moved on to short stories, and eventually to full-length novels. Thus began my adventurous journey to becoming a fiction author.

What is your writing routine like? Do you do anything special to warm up, cool down or keep the story going?

I have a demanding full-time day job, so I can write only outside working hours. I wake up at around 4:30 a.m. and do a little writing before leaving for work and then an hour or two each evening. But my creative juices are not very reliable or stable, so I go in spurts. When I am not in creative mode, I try to do some self-editing.

With your busy schedule, you must have some wonderful time management tricks. Care to share?

Having a super-busy schedule sometimes makes one budget one’s time more efficiently. I try to follow the routine I mentioned above on weekdays. Unfortunately weekends are taken up with household chores, cooking, and socializing. Giving up friends and good food and time with my husband is not an option.

Our readers always like to know, what kind of books do you read or what authors do you like to read?

I am a hopeless romantic and love reading romances, but I also read other types of popular fiction. My favorite authors are Judith McNaught, Karen Robards, Dan Brown, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, and Khaled Hosseini to name just a few on my extensive list.

What are your goals now that THE SARI SHOP WIDOW is complete?

I plan to keep my day job (which pays the bills) and perhaps continue to write fiction and non-fiction on the side. Of course, it all depends on whether my publisher offers me more contracts or not in the future.

Are you working on any other projects currently?

As part of my current contract, there will be one more book that will be published in 2010. After that, my karma will decide.

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

I sincerely hope my readers enjoy reading THE SARI SHOP WIDOW. Many of them have become loyal fans and send me some great feedback and even suggestions for future stories.

THE SARI SHOP WIDOW and my other books are available at all U.S. and Canadian bookstores and online booksellers.

To contact me or learn more about my books, author events, book trailer video, recipes, short stories, and sign up for my newsletter, visit my website www.shobhanbantwal.com

Thank you so much for interviewing me for “A Journey of Books.”

Shobhan Bantwal

Guest Post with Shobhan Bantwal - THE SARI SHOP WIDOW

When I learned of Shobhan Bantwal's new book, THE SARI SHOP WIDOW, I was beyond excited to read it. My biggest question for Bantwal was how she was able to incorporate her love of India into her story.

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I more or less stumbled into my writing career. I had never written anything more creative than a class essay or thesis for my master’s degree until I hit the age of 50. I call it my “menopausal epiphany.” Along with hot flashes, weight gain, hair loss, and insomnia, I discovered a deep need to write fiction.

For years I had been complaining about the dearth of romantic Indian fiction. Most every South Asian author seems to write literary novels, serious slice-of-life stories that are beautiful works of prose, but are lacking in plot and drama. So when I took up creative writing, I decided to try my hand at romantic stories with a distinctly Indian twist.

I was treading unknown waters with my unusual brand of ethnic women’s fiction with romantic elements, and I knew it was a serious risk. There was no guarantee that a literary agent or publisher would like this type of literature. And yet I wanted to write about my culture in all its multi-hued beauty as well as its dark side. I wanted to tell stories that were realistic and yet dramatic enough to make fun, page-turning fiction. What I longed to create was “Bollywood in a Book.”

My Indian culture, with its arranged marriages, spicy cuisine, quaint customs like dowry, and a religion that has many gods and goddesses, offers great opportunities for unusual stories. I had so much fodder to populate my books with that I often had to curb my tendency to put in an overdose of cultural detail. India is a land of controversy, where women are allowed certain freedoms but not others, where women are often considered liabilities and men are cherished as assets, where marriage can occur between two people who have never known each other and yet they can live in a happy, lifelong commitment. India’s culture is beautiful and colorful, yet there are harsh, even shocking facets to it.

I set out to put all these elements alongside the colorful silk saris and lehengas, the pungent spices, and the vivid hues of India in my tales. The result is three books to date, THE DOWRY BRIDE, THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER, and THE SARI SHOP WIDOW. A fourth book is slated for release in 2010.

The video trailer of THE SARI SHOP WIDOW can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9uRlbkxxes. My writing, photos, and recipes are available on my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com

Israel and Garinkel Article

You are What You Say . . . When You Talk About What You Eat
By Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel,
Authors of The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship

Everyone knows the old saying, "You are what you eat."

But there's an even greater truth: you are what you say about eating.

That gleam in your eye, when you reminisce about eating pasta in Rome, is probably less about the fettuccine than it is about Federico, the handsome guy at the next table.

The ache in your heart, when you tell the story of spoon-feeding soup to your beloved, ailing grandma, is undoubtedly more about loving and missing her than it is about the lousy soup.

How do we know this? Well, through a surprising and wonderful turn of events, we have come to recognize the inextricable connections that exist between the foods we eat, the ways in which we talk about that food, and our deepest -- sometimes hidden -- emotions.

And we've been given this glimmer of wisdom by our recently published novel-cookbook, The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship. The story charts the ups and downs of a lifelong friendship between characters who stay connected, despite a bumpy relationship, by forming their own two-person Recipe Club.

When readers of advance copies began asking us to help launch their own food-themed friendship-and-storytelling circles, we knew we were on to something wonderful and important.

So from coast to coast, we are running Recipe Clubs, intimate gatherings in which members share real-life stories associated with personal recipes. Yes, Recipe Clubs are about food and cooking . . . but they're about creating community. Each member, at every meeting, has a chance to speak out with honesty and be heard without judgment. Honoring the age-old, oral-history tradition, we're helping to create a tradition: building new friendships and deepening existing friendships through the prism of food, friendship, and storytelling.

We've been privileged to hear stories from Recipe Club members in small towns and big cities alike, from stay-at-home moms to corporate executives, from those who love to cook to those who just love to eat. And with each tale, we've come to realize that talking about food -- at least in the safe, intimate environment of a Recipe Club -- is a powerful lens through which to understand your life, your family, your friendships, and your attitudes. Food in its entirety -- as an ingredient, as a cooked dish, as something eaten, something fed, something given, something cherished -- is intrinsically loaded with emotional content. It crosses barriers of race, age, gender, nationality, and culture because it ultimately relates to the most universal aspects of the human condition!

Take the story of Carolyn. In college, she had a mad crush on a boy. Since she was an excellent cook, her roommate persuaded her to throw a lavish dinner party, citing the old adage, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Working day and night, Carolyn created a perfect meal. Her pièce de résistance: a Baked Alaska. Heart beating and dessert about to be flamed (a stand-in for her burning passion, no doubt), Carolyn poked her head out the closed kitchen door to present her masterpiece -- only to find her roommate and the boy she adored locked in a mad embrace!

Carolyn's response: a slammed kitchen door and a sledge-hammer fist-punch to the Baked Alaska. And the satisfaction of feeling emboldened by a powerful rage -- rather than being beaten down by the pain of betrayal, disappointment, and humiliation of the moment.

Or hear the tale of Debbie, who grew up in a food-friendly family of five. Decades after leaving home, Debbie still cooked pasta for five. The problem was, she lived alone. The bigger problem: she ate for five, too. Her Recipe Club tale chronicled her slow journey of learning to accept and embrace the fact of living alone, and of learning to nurture herself with the foods she still loved -- but adding in healthy servings of self-respect.

These real, touching revelations (and many others, about subjects as wide-ranging as sharing with sisters, fighting with parents, finding self-confidence, coming out to a family, struggling with self-esteem, and the joy of not cooking when there's someone else to do it) are all honestly expressed and respectfully received at the Recipe Clubs we run. While each story evokes its own response -- laughter, tears, resonant recognition, surprise -- all the Recipe Club stories we hear share some basic ingredients: food, feelings, family, friendship.

When we wrote the final sentence of our novel, The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship, we thought we had completed the book. But now we understand that the story is ever-unfolding . . . and our journey has just begun!

©2009 Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel, authors of The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship

Author Bios for The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship
Andrea Israel is a producer/writer for ABC's Focus Earth. She was a producer/writer on Anderson Cooper 360, Dateline, and Good Morning America (which garnered her an Emmy Award). Her story In Donald's Eyes was recently optioned for a film. Ms. Israel is the author of Taking Tea. Her writing has appeared in many publications.

Nancy Garfinkel is co-author of The Wine Lover's Guide to the Wine Country: The Best of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino (Chronicle Books, 2005). A creative strategist, design consultant, writer, and editor for magazine, corporate, and non-profit clients, she has won a host of graphic arts and editorial merit awards. She has written extensively about food and graphic arts.

For more information please visit www.therecipeclubbook.com

Guest Post with author Sara Angelini - THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY

It's no secret that I love Jane Austen's work, her characters and her stories. Recreating those same stories with a modern feel and modern characters is just fabulous to me. The latest book to catch my eye, and my heart, THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY by Sara Angelini.

I am very excited to have Sara here today to give us some insight into her writing and her stories.

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Sara Angelini
Author of The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy

I’ll admit it. I’m not a Jane Austen purist. If I were, I could never have written my modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy. It might be a travesty, but I tinkered quite a bit with the characters. Oh, sure, Darcy and Lizzy are still proud and pert (respectively, of course) and Mrs. Bennet is still a nut job. But I gladly bid adieu to Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins who, in my opinion, are to be skimmed over quickly until the next scene involving Darcy.

Austen’s portrayal of Mr. Bingley and Jane has always been somewhat controversial. Why would Jane take Bingley back after his desertion? Why would Bingley allow himself to be controlled by his sisters and his friend, even at the price of his own happiness? Is she a doormat? Is he a philanderer? Is their reconciliation a promise of future happiness or of endless misery? It was almost as if Austen drew them as childlike figures to contrast with the maturity of Darcy and Elizabeth.

In Austen’s version, Jane falls in love, gets dumped, pines away, and waits patiently for Bingley to come back to her at which time she eagerly forgives his inconstancy and agrees to marry him. Today she would be described as an “idiot.” Bingley falls in love, is persuaded that Jane is not interested, allows himself to be taken to London for an indefinite period of time, and returns to Jane only after obtaining Darcy’s blessing. Today he would be described as a “jackass.” While their actions may have seemed perfectly reasonable in the socio-economic caste system of the Regency period, they would have to be seriously revamped to earn my respect in today’s world.

Updating the story to contemporary times meant that the tight strictures of Regency society were no longer applicable; therefore Darcy would have no objection to Bingley’s romance with Jane. Instead of trying to contrive a new conflict, I decided that Darcy would approve of Jane and not interfere with the romance. Rather than be defined by external actions, the characters would have to stand on their own.

In fan fiction, Jane has often been portrayed as a teacher or nurse, careers that stereotype her as a two-dimensional nurturer and caregiver. I wanted Jane to be more assertive without losing that core trait of compassion. Casting her as a pediatric surgeon seemed to bridge the gap.
I also cast Bingley as a pediatric surgeon, but for a different reason: I simply envision him as connecting well to children because he is, essentially, an overgrown child himself.

In Austen’s version, Bingley seemed proud of his flighty nature: he brags about his sloppy handwriting (which supposedly indicates quickness of thought rather than plain old carelessness); declares he will probably move from Netherfield without any notice (eccentricities of the wealthy? Or skipping out on his rent?); and falls in love at the first sign of returned affection (hopeless romantic or hopeless flirt?).

In my version, Bingley is perpetually preoccupied. He simply cannot be bothered with the details. But this apparent carelessness reflects his philosophy that life is too short to sweat the small stuff; all that matters is that in the big picture, everyone is happy. This boyish idealism both amuses and exasperates Darcy, but it fascinates the Jane.

In keeping with her more assertive nature, Jane is the one to initially pursue Bingley. Bingley at first is clueless but quickly understands that he is to be Jane’s boyfriend. There is no extended period of waiting and wondering; they act as adults and pursue a relationship on equal terms.

Despite the modernization of these characters, I believe they are, in essentials, unchanged. They are easygoing, happy people who want only to please those they love. That, I think, is the most heartwarming and endearing aspect of their personalities that translates in any century.

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy—in stores October 2009!

A sexy, bold adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that re-paints favorite characters in twenty-first century colors

Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy, a legal expert on both sides of the Atlantic, is ready to hang up his black robe and return to the life of a country gentleman—until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a fresh-faced attorney with a hectic schedule and no time for the sexy but haughty judge.

Tempers and sparks fly in Judge Darcy's courtroom— and outside, in a series of chance encounters that give each of them pause—as the two match wits and try to fight their overwhelming attraction. When they meet up in England at an international law conference, they embark on a hot, heavy affair. Back in the States, though, ethical considerations intrude, and each is subjected to a torturous period of soul-searching before they can find their way back to each other...

About the Author

Sara Angelini is an attorney living in the San Francisco Bay area. After earning an MS in Animal Sciences, she decided against becoming a veterinarian when she realized she only liked her own pets and moved to California with her husband to pursue law school. She is working on her third novel.

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Thanks so much for stopping by today Sara!