Cate: Thanks for joining the holiday party, Tara! Please
tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tara: I’m a mom of two beautiful kids, ages 6 and 9, who are the light
of my life, but challenge me daily! LOL. Together with my husband, we live in
New York about an hour north of Manhattan. On an average day, we’re doing those
normal things – get up, work, school, dinner… but after bedtime I sit down to
write. This year, my longtime dream came true and I was published – not once,
but twice, by Decadent Publishing.
Cate: Very cool! What do you love most about Christmas?
Tara: Watching my children on Christmas morning. Their excitement,
wonder, and joy become mine for a short time – reminding my grown up self to
slow down and enjoy.
Cate: So true. Do you have a favorite memory of a Christmas past?
Tara: Well, if I go waaaay back in my memory bank, one that sticks out
is how my sister and I would wake each other up at the crack of dawn on
Christmas morning ready to see what Santa left. My poor parents always looked
exhausted dragging themselves out of bed to watch us open gifts. Most years
they only got about three hours of sleep – or so they say. LOL. Then my mom
would go make us a big special breakfast while we played with the new toys.
Cate: Love it. If Santa could grant one wish, what would you ask for?
Tara: My only wish is for my kids to be happy.
Cate: Aw, so sweet. What was the best gift you’ve ever received? What made it so
special?
Tara: Okay, I’m not making this up (because I’m an author and all), but
honestly it was my first Nook. I’m not kidding. It’s not like me to ask for
anything specific, but when the Nook first came out, I wanted one so bad. Not
only because of the convenience it promised, and how eReaders were oh-so-cool,
but I had about 12 Pampers boxes (the BIG ones) in the basement filled with
paperbacks. My husband desperately wanted to get rid of them, and of course,
the thought just filled me with separation anxiety – LOL. I saw this as a
solution to all my storage problems! Except, I still manage to collect books
someway, somehow. :)
Cate: lol Any favorite Christmas recipes you’d care to share?
Tara: I do, though its super
simple and really just a slight variation from the standard chocolate fudge
recipe. I only consider it a “Christmas” recipe because I make around this time
of year to bring to work and to my mom’s on Christmas Eve (otherwise, it’d be
great whenever!):
Andes Chocolate Fudge
2 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup Andes Crème de Menthe candies broken up or chopped
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk Or Eagle Brand®
Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dash salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Line 8- or 9-inch pan with wax paper.
Melt chocolate chips, Andes candy pieces with the sweetened condensed
milk and salt in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Spread
evenly in prepared pan.
Chill 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan and cut into squares.
~~~~~
I came up with this because I find peppermint a little too strong, but
the mint is perfect. Also, I always associated Andes Candies (as we called
them) with Christmas because my dad would find a package in his stocking every
year. It’s was one of his favorites.
Cate: Yum! The grandboys would love this, thank you. Tell us about your latest
release, and where readers can find it online.
Tara: Her Everything came out September 26th. It’s my second
contribution to Decadent Publishing’s popular 1Night Stand series and one that
was a pleasure to write, and not just because there’s a hot rock star… well,
maybe a little.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Tara: Yes, I’d be happy to!
Blurb
Rachel Turner made a mistake—a
couple, in fact. Ruining a surprise meeting with the front man to her favorite
band is just the beginning. But agreeing to switch places with her famous
sister may spell the end of both of their careers. With rumors flying and an
unexpected invitation from Madame Eve, Rachel hopes she can put the mistakes
behind her.
Attending an event to support
a charity close to his heart, Mark Travis wasn’t looking for love, or even
company—and definitely not with a fan. But when he puts in a hasty bid at a
silent auction and wins the services of 1Night Stand, Madame Eve has something
different in mind. A single evening with a woman she claims can fulfill his
needs. But one night might not be enough.
Come morning, will Mark and
Rachel’s unexpected one-night stand give them more than they bargained for?
Where to find:
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Tara: Actually, the whole premise of the story stemmed from watching a
VH1 Documentary Nicole Scherzinger. Though aside from the fact my character, Rachel,
is the sister to the lead of a girl group (inspired by the Pussy Cat Dolls)
it’s where the similarities end. However, writing a story where music plays a
big role in the characters’ lives was more than fun because it also plays a
part in my creative process. A song’s lyrics or tempo can set up a scene in my
mind and helps me “see” my story more clearly. So there can’t be anything more
inspiring to me than music. (Not that I can play a single note!)
Cate: Thanks so much for being part of the 12 Days of Christmas! Hope
you have a jolly holly holiday!
Tara: Wishing you a wonderful
holiday, too! Thank you for having me here today.
