Besides being a member and active participant of
many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves
to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of
romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and
catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and
counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons,
traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their
grandsons?
Welcome to my blog, Carole. This new book is part of a
Romantic Mystery Series. Please tell us about your novel: Knight in Shining
Apron.
Here’s the cover blurb:
Starli Cameron gave up her career plans to be a concert
pianist to marry the man of her dreams. He turned out to be a nightmare. When
he dies in a car accident, Starli takes the insurance money and builds a
successful and upscale restaurant: Apple Blossoms in rural West Virginia. Threats
from someone determined to ruin her life and the suspicious romantic advances
from her new chef force Starli to search her heart and finally turn to God for
real healing.
Sir Joel Peterman-Blair, top notch chef from England, is
roped by his uncle, into filling in as head Chef at Apple Blossoms. Joel, with
his sanguine-personality, has always laughed and flirted his way through life.
But now, confronted with and attracted to the most beautiful woman he’s ever
met, Joel has to prove his sincerity and depth of character to his icy-cold
employer. Can his love for God and for this woman reach out far enough to
rescue her from her own mistrust and bitterness? Will he learn that life is not
all play?
And can they both work together to find the source of
threats that seem to be coming from Starli’s past?
Where did you get your
inspiration for this story?
I like how opposites attract, so the idea of an owner of a
restaurant who couldn’t cook fascinated me. Give this same owner some mistrust
of men because her deceased husband was both unfaithful and abusive--a cause
for the exterior cold front she put up for most everyone. Inside she is
anything but the icy snow maiden of Appleton. Her loyalty to her friends and
her employees, her generosity and kindness in a shy way, and her extreme
business sense are all good reasons for her friends to stick right by her side.
Because of her high standards (and a little bit of
pickiness) in choosing the best chef she can find, she’s run out of choices and
is forced (somewhat!) into hiring a sanguine chef /knight.
Giving my protagonists difficult situations to face, that
appear to be impossible to solve are important to me. I like a little rebellion
in my stories, even when it’s a minor factor, because, after all, don’t most
people, even when it’s not apparent, have a bit of rebellion in them?
So, in this story I wanted a woman who’s learned to be
strong (because of her past problems), determined to succeed (her restaurant is
her lifeline), who needs both a spiritual/healing touch from God and the
tenderness and love from a man who is a real man.
What kind of research did you
do?
Here’s a few things I learned:
1. Chefs in general: I wanted the basic structure
of how chefs work, their idiosyncrasies, their training, etc.
2. Recipes--classy ones. Even though I don’t
mention a lot of them, I wanted the feel of what a professional chef might
create or prepare for a higher classed restaurant. It’s important, I feel, for
an author to place herself right inside the work-in-progress so that her
readers can also experience “being there.”
3. Abuse. I’ve already done a lot of research about
different kinds of abuse, so it was easy to give that “feel”--the scared,
it’s-my-fault, fatalistic feeling that many abused people feel.
4. Classical music. I love many types of music, and
am acquainted with some classical. I also have always loved listening to
excellent pianists, so giving Starli that talent, and then having her make the
“wrong” choice (no one’s perfect, not even Starli) was part of the right
setting for Knight in Shining Apron.
5. Ice skating. I’ve studied a lot about this
activity too, and thought that with it, I could create some fun and romantic
scenes to the novel. The moves and routines that ice skaters use were important
in showing that though Starli wasn’t Olympic material, she still was an
excellent skater who loved and enjoyed the activity.
Please tell us about the main character in this story and
what you love about him or her.
Chef: Sir Joel Peterman Blair
From Great Britain AND knighted because of his labors of
love to the less fortunate, Joel knew early on, that his love and talent lay in
creating recipes that were top-notch. Although he came from a privileged
family, his stuffy father didn’t approve of his pick of careers and refused to
finance his schooling. Enter Uncle Lawrence (Manny) who supports Joel and helps
him become what he’s always wanted to do.
Because of his success and popularity (being handsome
doesn’t hurt him any), Joel is a bit of a tease, rich in his own right, and
well-traveled. He’s most women’s dream--except for Starli Cameron.
Her reluctance in accepting his flirting and teasing just
fans the ardent fervor in him. She’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever met,
and her withdrawal, his sensibility in seeing a woman who’s been hurt, and his
tender acts of love eventually wins the day--and the woman!
Restaurant Owner: Starli
Cameron
While still in college, Starli chose to marry Ryan Stratton
instead of pursuing her plans to be a professional pianist. Wrong choice. He
was an abusive man who belittled Starli constantly. When he died in a car accident,
Starli inherited the insurance money--enough to start Apple Blossoms, the
classiest restaurant in West Virginia. With live music and the best,
exceptional chef Starli can hire, it’s a restaurant that has a waiting list for
seats.
Starli is beautiful with her white blond hair and green
eyes, and almost regal stature. She’s strong and independent but also afraid to
face the past. To her friends she’s a loyal friend, but those less acquainted
with her consider her a bit “cold.”
Roland Stratton, Ryan’s brother, is hassling her and still
blaming her for Ryan’s death. Appleton’s banker is pushing for a closer
relationship with her. Two of her employees are acting strangely, and the new
chef--Sir Joel--is a flirty, teasing man whom she automatically distrusts.
Deep down, Starli longs for freedom from the past, the hurts
and bitterness, the freedom of forgiving and moving on with her life in a
peaceful way, and most of all--though she won’t admit it--freedom to love
again.
Where can my readers find you
online?
Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY
Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/
Stitches in Time: http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/
Barn Door Book Loft: http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/
Thank you, Carol, for
this very interesting interview. I hope my followers will check out your book.
