CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH DOROTHY ST. JAMES' CHARITY PENN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chocoholic Charity Penn must smoke out the killer to stop her newly inherited beachside chocolate shop from going up in flames in Dorothy St. James’ decadent follow-up to Asking for Truffle.

Chocolate shop owner Charity Penn is finally settling into life in the quirky South Carolina seaside town of Camellia Beach cooking up chocolate treats. She’s even helped organize the town’s lively beach music festival which has brought rollicking crowds eager to dance the Carolina shag. That is, until one of the band’s lead singers is found dead beside a beach bonfire.

While also trying to balance the amorous attention of music star Bixby Lewis, in town for the festival, and her quest to perfect a new hot flavored bonbon, Charity dives into the investigation. Though it’s more spice than sugar when she discovers a threatening note, comes across decades of age-old secrets, and Bixby comes into the line of fire when a gas grill explodes on the deck of a beachfront house.

Now Charity must turn up the heat and catch the killer before her chance melts away in Playing With Bonbon Fire, the delightful second Southern Chocolate Shop mystery served up just right for fans of JoAnna Carl and Joanne Fluke.

Book Details

Title: Playing with Bonbon Fire, A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery

Author: Dorothy St. James

Genre: Cozy Mystery, 2nd in series


Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (March 13, 2018)


Page count: 352 pages
On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours

ABOUT THE CHARACTER

Charity Penn grew up in Chicago and worked in advertising in Madison, Wisconsin. She never felt as if she’d found her home until she moved to Camellia Beach, South Carolina and inherited the Chocolate Box, a bean-to-bar chocolate shop on the island. Although she’s not much of a cook, the self-described chocoholic knows how to pair flavors with different varieties of chocolates to create the most amazing mouth-watering candies.

INTERVIEW WITH DOROTHY ST. JAMES’ CHARITY PENN

Charity, how did you first meet Dorothy?
Dorothy St. James was wandering around in a funk when I met her. She wanted to get back to writing after taking a few years off to be a full-time mom, but she wasn’t sure what to write about. Every character she’d interviewed made her doze off before the interview was over. (She was taking care of a 2 ½ year-old at the time and tended to doze off easily from lack of sleep.) And then I walked in with my arms filled with emotional baggage and personal mysteries, and Dorothy immediately sat up and took notice.

Want to dish about her?
She’s a neurotic one, my writer. I mean, I thought I had problems, and then I started telling my life story to Dorothy St. James. And I was all like, “Whoa, stop obsessing over where to put that dang comma already. Just write what I’m telling you and not worry so much about how it’s coming out until the edits.” She’s nice, though. She truly wants my story told right. She wants the truth about everything to come out. Sometimes that scares me.

Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
My life is a mess. Or at least it was. I was a walking, living version of a car wreck. People were rubbernecking all over the place to see what was going on in my life. Of course all that drama has ended up in a book. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long to happen.

There are also these pesky murders that keep happening around me. I hate it. I can’t stand to see my friends in danger, so of course I do my best to help the police conduct their investigations. Detective Gibbons is capable, but he doesn’t live on Camellia Beach. He hasn’t heard the conversations I’ve heard. And sometimes he doesn’t listen to me like he should, which is all the more reason why I’ve needed to take matters into my own hands once or twice.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I loved, loved, LOVED it when Bixby Lewis (yes, the Bixby Lewis who is the hottest pop star in the country right now) kissed me. It does amazing things to a woman’s ego to be kissed by a hunky rock star. I get tingly all over just thinking about it.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
When I’m not solving mysteries on the pages of a book, I’m either making chocolate or eating it. Chocolate is my passion. Getting everyone to taste high-quality chocolate from the more flavorful cacao beans is my mission. Not all chocolates are created equal. The complex flavors you get from a specially sourced cacao bean will make you think you’ve found Nirvana.

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?
Let’s be honest with ourselves—we all sometimes make stupid decisions that we regret. I’m not too proud to admit that I might have made a mistake or two along the way. One recent one that really makes me blush is how goofy I acted around the famous and gorgeous pop star Bixby Lewis. He gave me one kiss and, apparently I lost my mind. It wasn’t my best moment. I cringe when I think about it. I acted like a silly fan-girl. I wish I had stayed cool. If I could do it again, I’d like to rewrite all of that. Some things might have happened differently if I had.

What’s Dorothy’s worst habit?
She keeps upping the stakes. I solve one problem, and bam! what I did to solve it creates an even bigger problem. I’m mean, give me a break already! I’m working hard here.



How do you feel about your life right now?
While I don’t like that people keep getting murdered around me—that’s not good—I love my life. I’m blessed. I’m truly blessed. I’m living on an idyllic Southern island. I own the best chocolate shop in the world. And I’m surrounded by people who love me.

What, if anything, would you like to change? That’s easy. My family. Let’s just say they’re not friendly people and leave it at that.

Describe the town where you live.
I live in the small town of Camellia Beach, which is located a few miles outside of the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina. At first glance, the town isn’t much to look at. The buildings could all use with a fresh coat of paint. Everything looks rusty and old. But the people who live here are gems. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and are always happy to help out with anything. And the buildings in the town don’t dominate the landscape, like has happened to some beach towns. The houses and businesses are generally one-story. The quaint small cottages that have been torn down nearly everywhere else can still be found on Camellia Beach. Also, ancient oaks trees and tall grasses are still a large part of the island. It’s wild and beautiful here. I have truly found a paradise here in Camellia Beach.

What makes you stand out from any other characters in your genre?
I grow and change (hopefully improve) with each book. I’m not a static character. I don’t always make the best decisions. But I’m trying. I’m really trying to improve. And there is nonstop action on the page. This isn’t your grandmother’s cozy mystery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband, a neurotic dog, and fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.

Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.

Known for the White House Gardener Mystery series, Dorothy is going back to her roots and setting a mystery series in a Southern beach town much like the one she’s called home for the past 20 years. The Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries combine her love of fine chocolates, quirky Southern charm, with a dash of danger.

* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of the award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing,” “perfect,” “filled with emotion,” and “lined with danger.”

Connect with Dorothy:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

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Featured Author: Kate Bishop

Breathe is a romantic comedy published by Diversion Books and written by Kate Bishop, who actually isn't one person, but the pen name for three authors who have combined their collective strengths to write as one. See "Kate's" guest post below for a more in-depth explanation of who Kate Bishop is. Thanks to Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours for bringing Kate by today.

About the author:

Kate Bishop is the collective spirit of three friends with a shared passion for writing, yoga and a good, old-fashioned (or New Age) love story. Breathe was inspired by their experiences both on and off the mat and was born of a genuine desire to throw some love, light and laughter into the mix.

Kristin Tone graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Psychology and received an M.A. in Education from Lesley University. A yoga teacher and an educator, she currently teaches at PS1 Pluralistic School in Santa Monica, California.

Talie Kattwinkel earned a degree in Women’s Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. She currently specializes in bodywork and healing.

Bridget Evans attended the University of Maryland where she studied education. She taught in the Marin County school system for ten years and co-created OUTWORD, an outdoor writing program for children. She is also a yoga teacher. All three women are mothers to small children.

About the book:

Alex thought she had married the man of her dreams: successful, gorgeous, and delighted by her small-town charm. When he walks out six months later, proclaiming to have 'found himself' (with the help of a stunning yoga teacher), she 'finds herself' alone in an unfamiliar city, vengefully drinking through his prized wine collection, living on takeout, and refusing to answer the door. When this fails to cure her broken heart and bruised ego, she reluctantly allows her new friends to intervene. Slowly, Alex learns to define success on her own terms; she discovers the secret to love in all its forms, and the perfect flying crow pose, one breath at a time.

Interview with Kate Bishop:

I'm guessing the title Breathe has to do with more than just yoga. How did you come up with it?

Our agents actually came up with the title. We knew we wanted something short, simple and fun. It was Yogalicious for a while, then Yogarilla. After trying on many other titles, we all agreed Breathe best captured the essence of the book. Although yoga is a part of Alex’s journey, the book is about personal transformation and love. We were afraid the other titles might alienate those who don’t identify with yoga. Alex certainly wouldn’t have read it.

How did you create the plot for Breathe?

We knew we wanted to write a romantic comedy with yoga as the backdrop. As three writers/friends, we talked often about our aspirations and creative pursuits. At some point, we realized we had a collective story to tell. We began to meet at coffee shops in the early morning and late in the evening, as we had jobs and kids that filled daytime hours. We shared observations of transformation in ourselves and our students. We shared our love stories and our heartbreaks, uncovering common threads. Breathe took shape one chapter a time, one cup of coffee at a time.

Do you all outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

A little of each. We began with a rough idea of where we were headed, but our characters dictated much of the journey. We heeded Steph Cocker’s wise words, “If blown off course, simply change your destination.” We were often surprised by where we found ourselves.

Sophie’s choice: Do you have a favorite of your characters?

We love Andy. We created him to love and be loved.

Where do your characters' names come from?

It’s an intuitive process. Names just sort of materialize, and we sit with them for a while. Most often, they’re spot on. Occasionally, we inadvertently chose the name of a person in one of our lives and were forced to grapple with a new one. When this occurred, we did an Internet search, found an extensive list of names and tried them on the character one at a time - until we were all satisfied. It took awhile.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

All of our characters have pieces of each of us and people we have met along the way. No character is based on any one person. Tripp was a compilation of all of our dating errors. Andy was the sum of everything we’ve loved in men. Everyone has encountered a Haley at some point. And Nancy is the woman who we all hope to become. She wears life like a loose, designer shirt.

Are any of you like your characters?

We all really identified with our protagonist, Alex: her humanity, her judgment, her earnest attempt to rise above it and her many stumbling blocks along the way.

Who are your favorite authors?

Anne Lamott, Barbara Kingsolver, Suzanne Collins, Emily Bronte, Jeffrey Eugenides, Sena J. Naslund, Stephanie Meyer, Wally Lamb, Brene Brown.

What book are you all currently reading and in what format?

The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh (e-book)

Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins (paper)

Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg (e-book)

How do you handle criticism of your work?

Of course it stings, but we know we can’t expect everyone to love the book. We have received such positive feedback that the few negative responses are cushioned. We are so grateful for all the support and encouragement and, to be honest, the negative reviews seem to have taken some effort and a very thorough read. Passion over indifference is always favorable, right?

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

As a trio with small children and jobs, most writing happens when the world is asleep. We write between the hours of 9pm and 5am. We love those quiet hours.

So I'm guessing you all don't sleep. Yikes. What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“So we show up. Burn brightly in the moment. Live passionately. Hold nothing back. And when the moment is over and the work is done we step back and let go.” -Rolf Gates

What are you working on now?

Alex and Andy, Part 2

Guest post:

As three authors, our writing process can be difficult to distill for people. Much of it is organic and we often attribute our success (the ability to write a book as a composite) to chemistry. We, the Kate Bishop three or KBT, are very close and were friends before writing Breathe. We each have very personal and sometimes divergent relationships with writing and our styles reflect this. One of us is the visionary, bringing idea after idea to the writing table. One of us feverishly stitches the story together. And one of us is a wordsmith, deliberate, attending to details, grammar and flow. We’ve likened our journey to the crafting of a garment or the building of a house. The designer, the seamstress, and the quality control supervisor. 

What was interesting was that we began rigid in our roles, but as the book materialized, we each found ourselves assuming new positions. Flowing from one to the next. We resisted any tendency to be territorial, as we knew, in order to succeed, we needed to trust each other and the process. We respect one another deeply as people and as writers, and we returned to this again and again.

Our over-arching goal was to create a book that was fun and light, yet addressed the deeper conflicts we encounter in love and life. Beginning with a rough map of where we were headed, we each wrote a chapter in sequence, never writing two in a row in order avoid the dominance of one voice. We then rewrote each other’s chapters- many times- allowing the voice of three to become one. On conference calls from Concord, Bend, and LA, we read aloud night after night until each sentence felt right to us all. It took patience.

A successful novelist once explained that writing novels can be a lonely road to travel. This was not our experience. We are so grateful to have had each other to laugh, scream, and forgive along the way.

So the process was, in essence, a culmination of what we have learned through yoga thus far. Trust, be open, quiet the ego, love, and believe in abundance.

Excerpt from Breathe:

“Alex, I’m leaving.”

I gagged on a wisp of highlighted hair that had sprung from the towel and stuck to my lip balm. Tripp liked my hair blonde. I’d had it done that day.

“What?” I sputtered.

“I’ll let you take a minute.” He turned and walked into the bathroom.

I followed him, stumbling over a pile by the door: boots, corset, thigh highs . . .
“What do you mean ‘you’re leaving’?”

Tripp turned from the mirror where he was preparing to shave as if nothing had happened.

As he stared at me, I felt like one-eared Billy at a dog show. Flawed. Judged.

“Stop looking at me like that! You can’t tell me it’s over and then look at me like that!” I yelled. He smiled mildly.

“Alex, you need to connect to your Truth. I can’t tell you how. That’s your journey. I can only tell you that I can’t follow this path with you anymore. My truth isn’t here. I found my Authentic Self.”

I was beyond insulted. It was one thing to hear this stuff from my mother who, if nothing else, lived her mundane ‘truth’ day after day, but not from a man who has eight sets of identical platinum cufflinks.

“You found what, where?”

“My Truth is in Atlanta, Alex. I found a place where my spirit can truly soar.” He started shaving.

The light bulb went on, and with the flip of a switch, I went from pissed to full on enraged.

“Wait a minute—your piece of ass is in Atlanta! Let’s not get confused here. Would your ‘Truth’ happen to be a contortionist with perfect boobs? Holy shit, Tripp, are you sleeping with—with Lauren—Lauren—” I spun around, looking for the magazine.

“This isn’t about sex, Alex. Lauren and I are united at a soul level, which I don’t expect you to understand. We’ve traveled through many lifetimes together.” He put the razor down and rubbed his smooth jaw line.

“What? Are you talking past lives with me, Tripp? Six months ago, you believed ‘God’ was a nickname for Microsoft. Can you please speak the actual truth here?”

“Like I said, I don’t expect you to understand. I found my path. Yoga has taken me to my true self, my higher self. None of this stuff really matters.” He was looking at himself in the mirror. “Lauren has been my guide.”

I looked at him in cross-eyed disbelief, then ran to grab the Yoga Journal. Panting, I returned to the bathroom, opened to the dog-eared page, and shoved it in his face.

“This woman opened your soul with some . . . ” I pulled the magazine back, furiously scanning the article. “Lavender and eucalyptus?” I was seething. “Seriously?”

I threw the magazine at his face and missed. It hit his chest pathetically and flopped to the floor. He stepped over it and went back to the bedroom, slid into his jeans commando-style, and picked up his suitcase, still packed.

“Alex, I’m sorry it has to be this way, but there is no talking to you about this.”

No talking to me?

“How are we supposed to talk when you are never here?” I cried.

“This was a mistake, and I haven’t known how to tell you. I’m leaving, Alex.”

I ran down the hall after him, caught my robe on a drawer pull, and lost the entire thing. Who makes robes out of cashmere anyway? When I finally wrestled it back on and reached the door, Tripp’s black Range Rover was sailing down the street, a large sticker on the rear window proclaiming, “Namaste.”


Connect with Kate:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter |

Buy the book:

Amazon 

Featured Author: Tracy Sweeney

I'm pleased to have author Tracy Sweeney as my guest today. Tracy's here to talk about her highly-rated chick lit novel, Living Backwards. One reviewer called it "a bit of chick lit with a little bit of time travel and a whole lot of drama." A book about a twenty-nine-year-old who suddenly finds herself back in high school? Mmm hmm, I'd say that would entail some drama.

About the book:

Twenty-nine-year-old Jillian Cross refuses to believe that a pair of skinny jeans has led to her untimely demise. Life just isn't that cruel. But when an overly-enthusiastic attempt at squeezing herself into them leads her to fall and lose consciousness, she is faced with just that possibility. When she awakens with both a bruised ego and a bump on her head, she's not in her tiny apartment but her childhood bedroom circa 1999-the spring of her senior year in high school. Jillian knows that time travel isn't logical. But then again, neither was her decision to wear skinny jeans. As she attempts to navigate her way through the halls of Reynolds High, walking the same path and making the same choices she made years before, she knows that any change she makes can have a catastrophic effect on her future. But when she strikes up an unexpected friendship with motorcycle-riding, cigarette-smoking Luke Chambers, can she pretend to be the same shy girl she once was? At least she has her pink sparkly flask to take the edge off. One little change won't hurt, right?

Interview with Tracy:

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The concept of “living backwards” comes from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass.  The White Queen isn’t one of the more well known Wonderland residents because clearly Walt Disney just wasn’t into her, but she’s fascinating.  She knows what will happen before it comes to pass:

'For instance, now,' she went on, sticking a large piece of plaster on her finger as she spoke, 'there's the King's Messenger. He's in prison now, being punished: and the trial doesn't even begin till next Wednesday: and of course the crime comes last of all.'

'Suppose he never commits the crime?' said Alice.

'That would be all the better, wouldn't it?' the Queen said.

I thought that it fit the story so perfectly.  What if you’re able to go back and stop the crime from being committed?  What if in the process, you committed an even bigger one?

How did you create the plot for this book?

I love time travel movies. Peggy Sue, Back to the Future, The Butterfly Effect. I eat them up. And maybe I spent too much time thinking about their nuances, but if you were to really end up back in high school years later, could you effectively pretend you belonged there? Do you remember where your locker was or your locker combination? What you were studying in chem class? Where you sat? Could you be the person you were when you were seventeen? Could you make it through all of that trauma and teenage angst without a cocktail? I certainly couldn’t.

Okay. The pink sparkly flask. Tell us about it.

Everyone should have one! I’m kidding. I don’t want to be the downfall of a generation.

When Jillian turned twenty-one, her best friend gave her the flask as a gift. It was pink and sparkly and nothing she ever would have owned in high school. They named it Joan.  When Jillian had a little too much to drink, it was Joan’s voice in her head egging her on to do things that may not have been the best idea. Dance on a table. Do another shot. Make out with the random guy in the corner. Breaking out of her shell is an understatement.  

OK, maybe not everyone should have one. Haha

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I don’t know how to write by the seat of my pants. There are so many scary things going on in my brain. I start with a broad outline. When I’m about to tackle a chapter, I’ll flesh it out before I begin. As I go along, I make notes about plot points that I need to hit in certain chapters. I always have characters chattering in my head. Yes, I know. Crazy girl. But it’s true. I have to write it down somewhere. I’ve been known to record dialogue on my iPhone as I’m driving. I’m like Michael Keaton in Night Shift. Without Henry Winkler and the prostitution ring. Or Shelley Long. Gotta love Shelley Long.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it?

My friend, Liz Jaeger, did an absolutely amazing job on the cover. I swear she made me a hundred different versions of the flask – each one prettier than the next. It was miserable picking just one. I’m thrilled with the final product. She rocks.

What’s your favorite line from a book?

"And they all lived happily ever after." Is there a better one?

That's a pretty good one. Do you have imaginary friends? When do they talk to you? Do they tell you what to write or do you poke them with a Q-tip?

Does a talking flask count? I would never poke her with a Q-tip. Only with a straw.

Ha! good one! Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I actually wrote an outtake from Joan the flask’s point of view. She’s a little Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, a little Rachel Berry from Glee and a lot drunk. It was so much fun.

Are you like any of your characters? How so?

I share a lot of similarities with Jillian. I was shy and awkward when I was in high school and now...well, I’m not exactly shy. I may never shake the awkward, though. You should see me in Zumba class. There’s also a lot of me in Megan, too. I can totally kick your ass in Tekken.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

Um, Luke, duh. He’s perfect.

Well now I've got to know more about this dude. Can you tell us a little bit about him?

At first sight, Luke is the typical bad boy, but he has good reason for the chip on his shoulder. Life has dealt him some unfortunate blows. So he’s guarded, and he’s biding his time until he can strike out on his own. When he meets Jillian, everything changes. I think he’s probably more shocked than anyone that they form a connection.

Present Day Luke is another story. Different chip, different set of problems. But man, he makes me weak in the knees.  The number one comment from my pre-readers was “Luuuukkeeeeeee”. That made me happy. Like my work here is done.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I could see Jillian racing across the city in the rain to confront Luke so clearly. I was dying to get it out of my head and onto the page. She’s so much braver than I could ever be in that scene.

Who are your favorite authors?

I’ll read anything Gillian Flynn writes. She’s amazing and evil. I gravitate toward new YA so I’m a big fan of Laini Taylor and Stephanie Perkins. Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth are geniuses.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I’ll admit that I miss seeing a bookshelf filled with books, but I just love the Kindle app on my iPad. You can’t beat the instance gratification of downloading a book whenever you want it. And I read a lot.

I just finished The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, which is just so lovely. I just started The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and I’m dying to jump on Days of Blood and Starlight, Laini Taylor’s sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

Poorly. Kidding. I’ve workshopped my writing, and I’ve written fan fiction. Neither are very forgiving venues, but they’re incredibly helpful. If there’s a plot hole, it will be found. If there’s a nuance to the story that doesn’t make sense, you’ll hear about it.  Concrit makes us better writers. It forces us to stop and ask “Does this make sense” before we proceed with what we’re writing. Criticism needs to be constructive, though.  Behave yourselves. 

Where’s home for you?

Where everybody knows my name. Bad joke. I’m a Boston girl.

What are you working on now?

I’ve had a very short piece – almost flash fiction – in my head for awhile now. I’m putting the finishing touches on that. I’m outlining my second novel and letting a new set of voices chatter in my head.

About the author:

Tracy Sweeney graduated with a degree in Management and Finance but prefers writing ridiculous things to crunching ridiculous numbers. She lives north of Boston, Massachusetts with her two young boys. Her short stories have appeared in Literary Juice, Solecisms and Slice of Life Magazines. She is currently working on her second novel which will be equally as ridiculous.



Connect with Tracy:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon