Interview with Author Rachel Astor and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Rachel Astor to RFTC. Rachel is celebrating the recent release of her book Sugar Rush and has stopped by to answer some questions. Please give Rachel a warm welcome.

Rachel grew up on a little farm outside a tiny town in the middle of the wide open Canadian prairie, which is good, since when she travels, she gets a little claustrophobic when there’s too much landscape looming over her. She lived with her parents and three sisters; an older, a younger, and a twin, in a house with only one bathroom.

She still lives on the prairie, but now it’s with her husband and two stepsons (and thankfully, two bathrooms), and has constant girl stuff withdrawal.

Rachel has had a lot of jobs, but none quite as interesting as when she waitressed at a bar named after a dog.

She writes light, fun books that she hopes put smiles on reader’s faces.

Places to find Rachel:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
Sure, I grew up on a farm, once worked at a bar named after a dog, and I’m a twin, which routinely gets me stopped by complete strangers thinking I’m my sister. In fact, it happened at an ice cream shop just a few weeks ago.

Did you always want to be a writer?
I was a bit of a late bloomer in the writing department. I was always an avid reader, but never really gave much thought to writing, as I tend to have an overly analytical brain and worked more in administrative fields. Soon, writing became something I was drawn to as a means of escape from the everyday humdrum of 9-5.

What kind of writer are you? Panster or Plotter?
I used to be a panster, but have slowly come around to the Plotter way. I’ve found writing the first drafts of a book is much simpler when you have a clear picture of where you plan to go. There is still a surprising amount of creativity involved, even when you’re plotting, it’s just on a smaller scale.

Where do your ideas come from?
That's a tough one. Usually a concept comes to me first, or sometimes a setting. With Sugar Rush, I loved the idea of having a candy shop as the setting, then thought about who the best characters would be to be thrown into it.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Sugar Rush is light and fun, centered around a gourmet chocolate competition involving 2 long-time enemies, owners of competing candy shops

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
I like to read a variety of stories. I love romance, of course, particularly lighter, fun stuff that can really let you escape to another place, especially with a bit of humor. I’m also drawn to mysteries or books that have an element of mystery. Really, the type of book isn’t as key as the voice of the book, and I find I’m usually drawn to a casual writing style.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
That’s a really tough question, and I don’t think I have a favorite, but some of the books I’ve really enjoyed lately are The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and I just finished the first Darynda Jones reaper book, which had a really fun voice.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Anything in the middle of the book is always the hardest. When I start a new book, the words flow like crazy. Likewise with the ending, that’s like a snowball rolling downhill, but those middle scenes are the tricky ones, where you know where you want to go, and have to find a way to get there, generally finding lots of trouble along the way. :o)

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?
Meg Cabot - I've been reading her books for years and she has a really accessible way of writing, which I think would translate into fun conversation. Ditto for Sophie Kinsella. And probably Maureen Johnson, who, based on her Twitter feed, has a really wacky sense of humor.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I have a few things on my writing scope at the moment. Oddly enough, I’m currently working with my agent on polishing a middle grade novel set in a spooky abandoned mansion, but I’m also in the middle of plotting a new romance with a bit of mystery, which will take center stage soon.

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. The annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition might be just the thing, if she can bring herself to try creating something new for the first time in a long time.

Then she meets Nick, a molten-hot guy with a sexy smirk and an attraction stronger than any sugar rush, whose family also happens to own the big-box candy shop in town—her strongest competition for first prize. Nick’s got his own reasons for needing the win, but then being around Dulcie is proving addictive.

As their 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?

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

1 lucky commenter will win a eBook copy of Sugar Rush

To Enter:

• Please leave a meaningful comment of question for Rachel. 
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck =)

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