I Need Friends Friday

Today I get to be on I Need Friends Friday with the lovely Sarah Eden. Every week she interviews a different friend about, well nothing.  It's kind of like Seinfeld--it's funny but when you think about it, there's really nothing profound going on.  Sarah and I discuss why Irish dancers wear curly wigs, her repeat appearance as the emcee at LDSStorymaker's conference next year, and admire the lovely portrait she drew of me.

Interview with Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant

Please welcome Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant. The Revenant will be available through Alfred A. Knopf on June 14, 2011.
Read my review of this great read here.
What inspired the story of The Revenant?

I’ve always had a thing for girls’ schools – particularly19th century finishing schools that were daring to rival boys’ schools in the their level of academic sophistication. During a summer gathering in Tahlequah, OK, one of my critique buddies pointed out Seminary Hall (now part of Northeastern State University) and explained that it once was a Cherokee boarding school. I hadn’t known the Cherokee Nation built such a sophisticated school for their girls, and I had to know more. (You can learn more here.) Turns out there is a ghost story associated with the school – NSU graduate students conduct ghost tours every October – but I wanted something a little sexier and more shocking than the ghost of a former principal wandering around the school.

Read the entire interview here.

Interview with Annette Lyon

How much fun is a cookbook that is dedicated solely to chocolate? Annette answered some of the questions I had about her book, Chocolate Never Faileth. I think you will find it interesting.


Your other books are fiction, what inspired you to make a cookbook?

I've always been a bit of a chocolate nut, but when I began working as assistant director for the Utah Chocolate Show in 2004, my interest spiked. I learned a lot about melting, storing, using, and baking with chocolate. I'm a writer, so making a cookbook was a logical step.

Who will enjoy this cookbook?


Any chocoholic, for sure. But also anyone who might be a little scared of the kitchen or of baking with chocolate. I made a point of having delicious recipes that were also doable. You don't need a culinary degree to make tasty treats.


Read more...

Interview with Rachel Ann Nunes

"I love learning new things. I love dreaming. Combine the two and you have a novel." -Rachel Ann Nunes

Rachel Ann Nunes so kindly answered some of my questions regarding her book, Imprints and the sequel, Shades of Gray that will come out in 2011. Thank you Rachel for allowing us to go "behind the scenes" and take a peek into the mind of an author.
You can read my review of this wonderful book here.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: I simply knew from a very young age that I wanted to be an author. For as long as I can remember, writing novels is what I planned to do. I was an avid reader and always made up what I thought were wonderful stories in my mind. When I was in France for six months as an eleven-year-old, the seed for my first published novel, Ariana, began to grow, and two years in Portugal added to the European flavor of the novel.

Q: Does your family enjoy your books?

A: My daughters read them, and one particular daughter, Catia, is my biggest supporter. She pre-reads all my books for me.

Q:Is there a message in Imprints that you want readers to grasp?

A: If there's a message in Imprints, it's that you don't have to include a lot of raunchy sex scenes, child sacrifice, and swear words every page like all the national paranormal novels for adults out there. I believe the reason why young adult paranormal novels are so popular is that because they don't waste time with that sort of thing. There seems to be a real disconnect between publishers and readers these days in regards to what readers really want.

Read the entire interview on my book review blog

Interview with Irish Dance Writer Heidi Will

Heidi Will is the author and illustrator of The Ghillie Girls. She based her book on the experiences she and her friends had in Irish dance. Heidi is expecting her first child in March, and her friend, who is also represented in the book, is expecting a child on March 17th-St. Patrick's Day. Visit Heidi online at GhillieGirls.com.

Read the full interview here.