Thursday, October 25, 2012

Author Interview & Giveaway: Rachel Astor (Sugar Rush)




Today I welcome Rachel Astor, author of Sugar Rush, a new romance available from Entangled Publishing's Bliss line.  So grab your favorite cuppa and come learn about Rachel and Sugar Rush then enter to win a copy or if you are impatient go buy this wonderful romance (it's just $2.99)!

What three things do you need in order to write?

Silence, coffee, and a notebook with an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie.

What's your favorite season?

Definitely spring. I live in a climate where the winters are long and very cold, so spring is such a welcome change, it’s almost like a whole new world.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

It’s funny, because of our winters, you’d think I’d be all over going to somewhere hot, and I certainly wouldn’t turn that down, but lately, I’ve been more curious about several European destinations like Ireland, Britain, and Italy. I just love older architecture and the history of all those countries.

What your favorite chocolate confection/treat?

Ooh, that’s a tough one, there are so many to choose from. For chocolate, the Lindt White Chocolate Truffles are my favorite, and for other treats, authentic Baklava in Greece is pretty much to die for, and a little closer to home, well, let’s just say my husband hated cooked apples until he tried my Grandma’s apple pie.

What's the first sentence of Sugar Rush?

Dulcie Carter checked the time on her phone yet again. (This is pretty fitting since Dulcie is ALWAYS short on time.)

Tell us what is Sugar Rush about.

Sugar Rush is light and fun (like a decadent gourmet almond macaroon), centered around a gourmet chocolate competition involving two long-time enemies, the owners of competing candy shops in the same quaint tourist town.

Dish, who’s your favorite character?

I particularly loved to write the scenes with Grams in them. She’s Dulcie’s spitfire grandmother, very loosely inspired by one of my grandmothers.

How did you feel when you finished Sugar Rush?

Finishing a book is always bitter sweet (no pun intended). It’s exhilarating to be done, though you kind of feel like you’re going to miss all the characters a bit too.

What can we expect next from you?

Most people would probably be surprised to hear that I am hard at work revising a children’s novel, and as far as for my grown up readers, there might just be something along the lines of a romantic mystery in the works. ;)  

Thanks Rachel!

Thanks so much for having me!


About Sugar Rush:

There’s nothing quite like your first bite.

Dulcie Carter has been running her family’s homemade sweet shop, Candy Land Confections, on her own since her mom passed away. But business is slow and rent is high, so Dulcie knows if she wants to keep her mom’s dream alive, she’ll need a miracle. Winning the annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition will change everything, if only she can overcome her fears and bring herself to create something new for the first time in a long time.

Then she meets Nick, a molten-hot guy with a sexy smirk and chocolate brown eyes. The attraction is stronger than any sugar rush—until she discovers he’s set to inherit his family’s big-box candy shop in town, which is her strongest competitor for first prize. Nick’s got his own reasons for needing the win, but then being around Dulcie is proving addictive.

As the competition heats up, so do the sparks between them. Can they keep their sights on winning, when love might be the sweetest prize of all



Giveaway:
Thanks to the publicist, I have one ebook copy (epub or PDF) to giveaway.  The copy will be sent directly from the publicist.  Open internationally.  Ends 11/1.  Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Sound Giveaway Game





To celebrate the release of the 3rd book of the SOLID series,
Shelley Workinger has put together a giveaway game!
EVERY ENTRANT who COMPLETES the task will win
ebooks of BOTH “Solid” (Solid #1) AND “Settling” (Solid #2).
The GRAND PRIZE WINNER will win SIGNED COPIES of ALL 3 BOOKS,
including “Sound” (Solid #3) just as it hits the shelves on Nov. 1st!

The rules are simple:

1. Visit each blog on the list
2. Leave a quick comment to show you were there
3. Copy the image fragment and paste it into a Word .doc
There are 18 stops to visit, comment on, and collect pieces from;
once you’ve hit all 18 stops and assembled* all of the pieces to complete the image,
email your entry to the author at:
SolidNovel@gmail.com.
4. Visit the author’s blog: But What Are They Eating?
and leave a comment letting her know you’ve sent in your completed entry.
ALL 4 STEPS are important because she will choose the Grand Prize Winner
from her blog comments (using Random.org) and then check her email to verify the entry.
*Don’t worry; the pieces are in order, so if you follow the list, it’ll be easy. :)

The Game runs from Oct. 25th through Oct. 31st;
last day to enter is Oct. 31st and winner will be chosen Nov. 1st.

Good luck and get gathering!
Here’s my piece:



And the rest of the stops:
THANKS FOR PLAYING!