I'm in NYC at the Romance Writers of America conference! Already having a blast with my writer pals, but what I'm really looking forward to is meeting and talking to readers tonight at the Literacy Autographing. If you're in the New York area, I hope you'll stop by and say 'hi!' I've got lots of fun, free stuff to hand out, like chapter excerpt booklets for Too Hot to Touch, and full sets of Rising Star Chef romance trading cards.
But the big news of the day is that I found out that the publisher is offering a special promotional price for my first foodie romance, Can't Stand the Heat! For the month leading up to the August 2nd release of Too Hot to Touch, you can try out my first trilogy (and hopefully get hooked on my writing!) for just $2.99!!!
I'm so excited about this deal, so I hope you'll tell all your friends! Here are some links. Kindle Nook Sony E-Reader Kobo
Should be in the iBookstore, too, but I can't link to it.
In case you've never seen or heard anything about the book, here's the blurb:
Adam’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching her what it means to cook with passion…and doing more with his hands than simply preparing sumptuous food.
Since I was traveling yesterday, I didn't get the chance to post a link to the fun Q&A up at Romance Reviews Today. But I believe the contest for the giveaway is ongoing, so head on over and comment for a chance to win signed copies of both Can't Stand the Heat and On the Steamy Side!
And as for today's stop on my whirlwind blog tour, I'm over at Romancing the Book, answering some more questions and giving away a signed OtSS plus an adorable set of Recipe for Love apron and red rubber spatulas. Check it out! She made me cast the hypothetical movie version of On the Steamy Side, which was surprisingly hard. If you've got other stars you would've put in the roll, put your choices up on StoryCasting.com! I love that site.
Stinger and I are in Austin--he's here for SXSW interactive, and I'm here to visit my family. We went to Fonda San Miguel last night (I had the BEST duck enchiladas in poblano cream sauce) so we're already having a blast. : )
Sorry I've been out of touch for a while; I'm traveling! I know, you're shocked. But this time it's for work! Really! I met Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and attended the Bocuse d'Or USA Finals at the Culinary Institute of America, and it was all for work. I *love* my job. : )
First off, the Ina thing. Awesome. She's essentially the smartest, most charming, down-to-earth woman alive. She was at the NY Women in Communications Cocktails and Conversation series, talking about food and branding, and just...wow. I LOVE her. My favorite of the pearls of wisdom she dropped all over the stage like a flower girl scattering petals down the aisle was the concept of "true North"--Figure out what matters to you, what *is* essentially you, your true North, and never let your compass waver from that direction. Anything that pulls you away from it should be avoided. Anything that speeds you toward it? Embrace with open arms. That was the other thing she said that struck a chord--you can't sit on the sidelines, you have to dive in, get wet, mess around and try things.
Nothing earth-shattering, perhaps, but very reinforcing. I had a blast, and also signed my very last advance reading copy of On the Steamy Side to her, so that was fun. Also, they gave out cupcakes, because it was her birthday! I love the NY WICI!
Since the Bocuse post is going to be loooong and full of pictures, I'm going to stop here for today. If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen most of them already, but tomorrow's post will provide more commentary than 140 characters allows, so there might be some fun, new stuff.
And speaking of fun, new stuff, Amazon and Macmillan are playing nicely again which means that I have a fun, new price for the Kindle edition of Can't Stand the Heat! List price from SMP at $6.99, which Amazon discounted to $5.59. Get it while it's hot, in case it's a mistake! LOL
I just found out that B&N is offering a digital version of Can't Stand the Heat at less than $6! $5.59, to be exact. And Fictionwise has it for $6.99, with a rebate that puts the actual cost at $3.84.
Sorry for the infomercial moment, but I was excited! Go on about your business...
One of my favorite book blogs, Smexy Books, posted a review of Can't Stand the Heat! Check it out. Even though it's not the guest reviewer's usual fare, she seems to have enjoyed it quite a bit. Yay! This made my day.
Favorite quote from the review: "A great book to curl up with on a cold winters night with a delicious hot chocolate for a cosy girls night in." Plus lots of other interesting insight and commentary! Go read. And then stay to check out the site if you're not familiar with it; it's really a lot of fun.
I just found out that Can't Stand the Heat is going to be featured as a Reviewer's Favorite for the month of December on the fabulous Romance Junkies website! I love those guys. Their site is big and bold and offers a lot of variety in terms of ways to experience romance novels. I'm so flattered they picked my book! Their original review of CStH was awesome, too.
I'm going to be on the radio! Well, sort of. BlogTalkRadio, so it's more of a live streaming audio kind of thing, with chatroom. I'm super excited! We're going to talk about Can't Stand the Heat, of course, but it's pretty unstructured and chatty. So if you come to the chatroom to hang out while listening, you can post questions and I'll do my best to answer them. I'm kind of nervous! But mostly thrilled.
Here are the details: Tonight at 9:30 PM (EST), go to BlogTalkRadio! I'll be there, reading an excerpt from CStH (any requests? They have a "Mature" ratings. Rowr!) and ready to chat with the lovely host, Cat Johnson, and anyone else who shows up. There *might* be swag in it for the chatroom folks...
What: BlogTalkRadio's What's Hot in Romance Show, guest starring ME! When: Tonight, 11/9, 9:30 PM (EST) Where: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Whats-Hot-In-Romance
Ha! Bet you thought I was done with this guest blogging business, didn't you? Well, I've got a couple more scheduled, which is awesome for you--more chances to win an awesome Can't Stand the Heat apron, a set of cute red spatulas, and a signed copy of the book!
Today I'm over at Victoria Janssen's blog, talking about research--how I sucked at it for a long time, and how I eventually unlocked the secret to doing it well...
Today's guest blog turned out to be quite the wild ride--I'm over at Romance Writer's Revenge, and you'll never guess who turned up to chat with me! I'll give you a hint: he's the sexiest pirate of them all...and a surprisingly astute interviewer. Seriously, you have to check this one out, it's hysterical. And there's a giveaway! Apron, spatulas, Can't Stand the Heat...you know the drill.
In other news, Holly Zachariah, the Columbus Dispatch blogger who interviewed me yesterday, posted a review of CStH that I absolutely adore! Check it out.
I'm over at Fresh Fiction today talking about character inspiration, and of course, the hero of CStH, Adam Temple. Because I just can't shut up about him. Is it bad that I'm maybe an eensy teensy bit in love with my own fictional creation? But come on--in my head, he looks like this! But in chef's whites. Nom nom nom...
I'm blogging over at the Novel Thoughts blog for Romance Reader at Heart. They wanted an interview with my hero, Adam Temple, so I thought I'd give my fictional food magazine, Delicieux, a crack at him! Come check it out, and comment to win an apron, spatulas, you know the drill.
The launch party--oh, man, where to begin? It was scrumptious, luscious, thrilling, exciting, heartwarming, and exhausting. Here's how you know I was having a ball: I have no pictures. None! Not to worry, though, there were several people snapping shot after shot of the packed Blue Hill dining room, and I'll supposedly be getting those pics sometime soon. I promise I'll share the ones that make me look gorgeous and poised! The ones that show me looking giddy and goofy will be deleted instantly.
My week in NYC was fabulous; I had dinner at the Bread Bar at Tabla with my gorgeous editor and fantastic agent, where we spent three hours drinking, eating, and brainstorming titles and plot ideas. EVERY brainstorming session should be just like that. I also reconnected with old friends, tried new restaurants and food I never could've imagined, like the insane tasting menu at Wylie Dufresne's famed molecular gastronomy playroom, WD-50, and doing research.
Then, two days after the party, we flew across the country to San Francisco for a week in Napa, where we're helping a friend celebrate her birthday. It's a rough job, I know, but someone has to do it. I'm spending the afternoon incorporating all my new culinary school knowledge into my existing manuscript for the third Recipe for Love novel.
It's finally here! Tonight is the night I officially kick off my new Recipe for Love series with a launch party at Blue Hill. The party guests will be friends, family, book bloggers, food bloggers, reviewers, publishing peeps, and some assorted media. There might be video cameras. I feel just a whiff of Cinderella coming on...
Pictures will be posted in the next few days--of the food, if nothing else. Here's the menu-in-progress Blue Hill's chefs drew up, based on what's available and looking good at the farmer's markets this week:
Passed Hors d’oeuvres Pork Belly Skewers House made Charcuterie Vegetables on the Fence Shots of Corn Soup and Blue Hill V8 Tomato Burgers Oysters and Tomatoes
Passed Small Plates Stone Barns Chicken Wings Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with tomato sorbet
Passed Sweets Flourless Chocolate Cake Cheesecake with berries Skewered Truffles Concord Grape Soup with yogurt sorbet
We'll also be featuring the two cocktails from Can't Stand the Heat: the "Miranda", champagne with raspberries and rose-infused vodka, and GINger Lemonade--recipes for both are in the back of the book, and I can't wait to reenact the first scene when everyone in the restaurant is tipsy on pink fizzy drinks!
And I absolutely CANNOT wait for the pork belly skewers, and to find out what makes those chicken wings all New York fancy...
I've got lots to tell you (and many pictures to show) from our trip upstate to the Culinary Institute of America yesterday, but it's going to have to wait. The lovely Drey, of Drey's Library fame, interviewed me! Her questions were fun and insightful--check it out to see if my answers lived up to them. (Hint: they don't. But I tried!)
We're giving away a Can't Stand the Heat apron and spatula set, so check it out! There are multiple ways to win--comment for one entry, follow Drey for an extra, and share the post through Twitter or Facebook for two extra entries! Genius, no?
Some of my favorite writers in the world have gathered together to do a blog, and they call it Plot Monkeys. When Julie Leto asked me to guest post on their Saturday Craft blog, I was so excited! I thought about my post for weeks before writing it; I hope you enjoy the topic: secondary romances, or subplots. Come on over and talk about what you like, what you don't, and how you think they work to make a series pop! Plus, comment for a chance to win an apron, spatulas, and a signed copy of CStH!
I'm not running it, though, Jessica over at Racy Romance Reviews is. She's been nominated in the category of Best Romance Review Blog in the much-discussed Book Blogger Appreciation Week contest, and, to celebrate, she's giving away three cooking-themed romances. Including mine! As stoked as I am for one commenter to win a copy of Can't Stand the Heat along with Delicious by Sherry Thomas and Burning Up by Sarah Mayberry--honestly, I'm mainly giddy to be included with two such wonderful authors. I know. It's better to give than to receive. But still. Me! With Sherry Thomas! And Sarah Mayberry! Because Jessica loves all our books! Squee!
Also? Can't wait to read through the comment thread, because the way you enter the drawing is to leave your favorite recipe. Yay, recipe thread!!
You know you've got something you're dying to share, and you know you want a prize pack of books that will make you desperate to get in the kitchen and cook. So hop on over and enter to win!
Today I'm over at Borders True Romance! If you haven't gotten enough of me on video this week, stop by and visit--there's an interview with me and Borders romance expert Sue Grimshaw. The blog post answers several burning questions about Can't Stand the Heat. For instance, what kind of underpants does the hero wear? For this stunning reveal, and more, check out the Borders site!
Also, a comment on the Borders post enters you to win a very cool culinary-themed prize. Spatulas, apron, and a cookbook featuring some of my very own recipes alongside recipes from today's top chefs. Who doesn't need another apron? Especially one that says CAN'T STAND THE HEAT on it! You know you want it.
My very own Author Talk video! That's right, I was lucky enough to score an interview with the two hottest girls on the internet, Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter. "The Show Where Authors Talk to Other Authors" was filmed a few months ago--just long enough that I'd forgotten exactly how funny Gena and Jill were. Enjoy, and try not to choke yourself laughing, like I did!
It's Release Day! At long last. Can't Stand the Heat hit bookshelves today. Pre-ordered copies have shipped. Very soon, almost instantaneously, you can have it in your hot little hands! I truly can't wait to hear what you all think of it. Well, the good stuff, anyway. Let's be honest, I could wait a while to hear that you hated it with the heat of a nova. But surely that won't happen! Everyone will love it!
I've realized publishing a book is a lot like sending your child off to school for the first time. The idea that someone might not adore it as much as you do (as much as your mom does, even) is painful. But that's life--no one and nothing is universally beloved. Except Can't Stand the Heat. Kidding! Seriously, give it to me straight. I've got more books to write after this one, I could use the constructive criticism. : )
Anyway, to celebrate the release of my very first novel, I'm giving away a whole bunch of wonderful books! Contest details are on my website, here. Enter to win a cute canvas tote filled with awesome recent releases, everything from Hunt Her Down by Roxanne St. Claire to Julia & Julia by Julie Powell to Surrender of a Siren by fellow debut author Tessa Dare. Good luck, and happy reading!
I'm over at Dear Author today talking about my first sale and how it all went down. One commenter will win my very last ARC of Can't Stand the Heat and a super cute apron! And to double your chances of winning a copy of my book, check out the fabulous Ann Aguirre's blog, where she's running an Easter Egg hunt in which the prize is a signed copy of, you guessed it, Can't Stand the Heat.
Hint: There've been lots of comments on the DA post already, so Ann's site might give better odds! I'm just saying.
I grew up in Virginia, went to school in Philadelphia, spent five years in Manhattan, then moved to a teeny town in Ohio. Now I live in fabulous, funky, fun Austin, Texas, which is very inspiring...
Once an editor of romance novels, now I'm writing my own. My Recipe for Love series combines contemporary romance with my love of food, restaurants, and smokin' hot chefs!
