The lovely and talented author Mae Wood stopped by for a visit! Which is very kind of her - especially since my draft of Freya's book is due to beta readers tonight. I'm currently wrapped up in blankets with wild, unwashed hair, surrounded by empty coffee cups. But I'll be back from the Land of Deadlines next week. And will (probably) have showered!
All of that to say - Mae is much more entertaining than me today. Read on, enjoy her answers to my silly questions, then go check out her latest release CRUSH. It just came out yesterday! I read it, loved it, called it "lush and delicious" in my review (it's true).
Four Questions with Mae Wood
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Eat a frog for breakfast and nothing worse will happen the rest of the day. Mark Twain said it wittily, but this is how I say it to myself. It’s about doing the thing you’re dreading, even if it is truly awful, and then moving on to better things.
What job would you be terrible at?
Anything in a restaurant. I have a laser focus, so I don’t multitask well at all. I also hate being under time pressure set by others. I function best when I can go at my own pace to reach a goal. I’ll keep my foodie love to writing books about food and wine, not working in food and wine!
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
Does procrastination count? I’m a lifelong, last-minute do-er. As a “responsible adult,” this means that I keep a pretty strict calendar with lots of deadlines I’ve created for myself so that I’m accountable. Left to my own devices, I’m liable to fall headfirst into a book and let tomorrow worry about itself.
What does your writing process look like? Are you a morning or evening writer? Do you have to have anything *with* you to write? (Like coffee, tea, wine…)
I’m a start and stop writer. I have two small children and a demanding day job with an erratic schedule. I can’t write daily, so I write in chunks. When I have free weekdays, I buckle down. My favorite place to write is my home office, if I’m writing at night. During the day, you’ll likely find me at the library where I’m surrounded by books and the coffee is free.
Wait, what's this romance novel about wine?
The only thing headier than wine is lust.
Ryan Royer thought his business trip to California's Napa Valley would be easy. Land a new client. Taste wine. But when the client is a free-spirited bombshell who presses all of his buttons, Ryan's world goes sideways.
Kenzie Balfour is entirely irresistible. She's the fourth generation to run the von Eck Estate Winery, and she's more intoxicating than any award-winning cabernet.
Ryan has been working hard for a promotion at one of the world's top investment banks. If he can close this deal for her legendary winery, he gets the job. He can't let a gorgeous woman with a great laugh get in the way of his goals. Even if she leaves him love drunk.
From a trouser-tightening almost-kiss at a restaurant to a seductive walk through a vineyard at sunset, can Ryan keep his crush on his client under control, or will a taste of Kenzie be his downfall?
Escape to California's wine country in Crush.