Please welcome Sarah Addison Allen whose new book, First Frost releases January 20th. Not only do I have an interview with Sarah, I have an autographed copy of First Frost to give away. I feel like I won the lottery.
I fell in love with Sarah’s first book, Garden Spells in
2008 and couldn't wait for the next dose of her self -described Southern
Fried Magic Realism.
The Sugar Queen did
not disappoint. I have given away so many copies of it to friends that it’s
ridiculous.
I took this bio from Sarah’s website:
New York Times Bestselling
novelist Sarah Addison Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing
to bear on her fiction -- a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming
romance, and small-town sensibility. Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina,
in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sarah grew up with a love of books
and an appreciation of good food (she credits her journalist father for the
former and her mother, a fabulous cook, for the latter). In college, she
majored in literature - because, as she puts it, "I thought it was amazing
that I could get a diploma just for reading fiction. It was like being able to
major in eating chocolate."
After graduation, her big break occurred in 2007 with the
publication of her first mainstream novel, Garden Spells, a
modern-day fairy tale about an enchanted apple tree and the family of North
Carolina women who tend it. Booklist called Sarah's accomplished debut
"spellbindingly charming." The novel became a Barnes & Noble
Recommends selection, and a New York Times Bestseller.
After publishing four bestselling books in five years, Sarah took
a hiatus when she was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at age 39. She
returned to writing with her 2014 bestselling Lost Lake. She is now
in remission.
In 2015, she revisits the popular setting of her first book. First Frost, continues
the story of the Waverley sisters from Garden Spells.
I
love firsts, so tell me about the moment when you found you’d made your first
sale.
It was the day before Thanksgiving and an editor from Canada
called and left a message saying she was interested in a short romance novel
I’d written. I played the message for my family at Thanksgiving. I
was going to keep it for posterity, but it was mistakenly erased. The
book, called Tried and True, was published under the pen name Katie
Gallagher. I thought I had it made. But then the line folded
suddenly. It took a long time to get another book published. But
that book turned out to be Garden Spells, so it was worth the wait.
We don’t always see the rhyme or reason behind the journey we have to
take until we’re far enough down the road to see that the twists and turns were
just leading us to where we needed to be.
I love that. Also I am such a fan, that I looked up Tried and True and bought it for my Kindle.
Other
than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre?
Alice Hoffman and Joanne Harris are wonderful, the queens of
contemporary magical realism. I first discovered this genre in college,
and those first books remain some of my favorites. I think the newness, the way this literary device opened a whole
new world for me when I discovered it, made these titles unforgettable, like
first loves: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson, I Am One of
You Forever by Fred Chapppell, Like Water for Chocolate by
Laura Esquirel, A History of the World in Ten and a Half Chapters
by Julian Barnes.
Your
book tour for The Peach Keeper had
to be cancelled when you were diagnosed with late stage breast cancer. What
helped you the most getting through this set back?
My family and friends, but also, unexpectedly, my readers. I
was overwhelmed by the support they offered me after I let them know I wouldn’t
be on tour because I had cancer. Cancer was such a shock, was such
unexplored territory for me, that I had no idea what to expect. I think,
in the back of my mind, I was just going to try to hold on to what was normal
for me, and bear the rest silently until it was over and I could go on with my
life. But everything changed because of cancer, including the way I
accept — and now offer — support when going through the most trying times in
life.
What
is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?
I like to joke that I knew I finally made it when my dad stopped
asking me when I was going to get a real job. But I think the most
exciting moment was getting the call that Garden Spells made
the New York Times bestseller list. I was in a tiny
hotel room in Charlotte, N.C., on a short tour for the book, and I didn’t see
it coming. Best surprise ever.
What
is your favorite pastime, other than writing?
Sleeping. Really! Hobbies are the things we like to do
but don’t always have time for. That’s sleeping for me. I like to
think I’m getting really good at it, when I find the time!
You
write some of the best food I’ve ever read. What’s your snack of choice while
writing?
Thank you! I’ve always been a little obsessed with food.
And I’m a classic emotional eater. I used to eat my way through the
stress of writing books (I gained nearly 20 pounds writing The Sugar
Queen), but I’ve learned to keep snacks away from my computer while
writing, or I’ll eat bags of candy and chips without thinking. And my
diet changed after cancer. I learned some better habits, like, if it’s
not in the house, I won’t eat it. So I don’t keep the bad stuff around.
That’s not to say I don’t still eat it! Just not at home.
Got a
recipe you want to share? Oh Please!!! Perhaps a Waverly Sisters recipe?
Here’s the fabulous recipe for the Fig and Pepper Bread Claire
Waverley makes in First Frost:
Fig and Pepper BreadA simple, rustic bread with a magical combination of sharp, cracked pepper and
sweet, moist fig. Pair with your favorite creamy cheeses or marmalades.
2 cups wholegrain spelt flour
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped figs
2 tsp coarse black pepper
2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1 dry yeast packet
1 1/2 cups of warm water
Whisk flour, salt, pepper and yeast until blended, by hand or with whisk
attachment of mixer.
Add olive oil and warm water. Knead for 10 minutes, or use dough hook
attachment of mixer for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and springy.
Oil a large bowl, place dough inside, and cover bowl with a damp hand towel.
Let sit in a warm place for approximately 1 hour, or until dough has
doubled in size.
Softly knead in the chopped figs and evenly distribute throughout the dough
(lightly flouring your hands can make handling the dough easier), shape into an
oval, then place on a baking sheet.
Snip three shallow lines into top of the dough with scissors, then lightly dust
the dough with flour.
Let rise, uncovered, until dough swells a little more — 10-15 mins, or
longer if the kitchen isn’t warm.Place tray in 350 degree oven for 40-45 mins until crust is slightly brown and
the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the underside. Cool on a wire rack.
I can't wait to try this. It sounds wonderful.
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
Trying to get published, trying to make a living from writing,
from something you love to do and know you were meant to do, can be frustrating
and disheartening. But don’t give up because of the dark days. Succeed in
spite of them. The dark days will make the bright days seem even
brighter. So bright you can hardly stand it.
First Frost is a return to the
world of Garden Spells, but is a standalone novel. It takes
place ten years after Garden Spells, and explores what happens
after the happily-ever-after. I loved this return to Bascom,North
Carolina. It felt like coming home. I hope readers will enjoy
reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I, for one, know I will.
What’s
your current WIP?
I only have a chapter and a synopsis right now, but it takes place
in Charleston, involves two older sisters who haven’t talked in years, a young
woman on her own for the first time in her life…and an invisible bird.
Who knows where the story will take me? I can’t wait to find out.
You had me at invisible bird. If you ever use Beta readers, I volunteer.
And
finally, where can we find you?
Here are the the buy links for First Frost:
Thank you so much for doing this interview, Sarah. Sarah graciously gave me an autographed copy of First Frost to give away. The only way I've been able to keep my hands off it is by re-reading Garden Spells. I pre-ordered my own copy of First Frost months ago.
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