Giveaway & Interview with "ON THE STEAMY SIDE" Author, Louisa Edwards

Joining us today at Over the Edge is St. Martin's Paperbacks rising romance star, author, Louisa Edwards.  She's stopped by to chat and giveaway a copy of her March 2010 release, "ON THE STEAMY SIDE".  To enter, please leave Louisa a comment including email.  Giveaway is open to all and runs until April 6, 2010.  Happy Reading!

TITLE: ON THE STEAMY SIDE
AUTHOR: Louisa Edwards
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Paperbacks; 1 edition
FORMAT: Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
RELEASE: March 2, 2010
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Book Description:
When Lilah Jane Tunkle fled her dull life in Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, she didn’t expect to wind up a nanny to a gorgeous celebrity chef’s ten-year-old son. Working for the delectable Devon Sparks is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, especially after Lilah gets a tantalizing taste of his perfectly seasoned kisses …


Devon’s not sure he can handle one more surprise ingredient in his life—he quit his popular TV show, his culinary reputation is on the line, and now the son he barely knows is back for seconds. Lilah’s Southern sass is supposed to keep the boy in line, but soon enough she’s teaching Devon a thing or two about homespun food…and turning up the heat.

Read excerpt.

Get to know the Author of the Day.


Louisa, please tell us about your recent release, “ON THE STEAMY SIDE”


What would happen if a jaded, cynical celebrity chef had to deal with firing his publicist, taking over a restaurant temporarily for a friend, and the return of his estranged ten-year-old son, all at once? Devon Sparks’s life is officially in turmoil, he’s questioning everything he ever thought he knew about cooking, family, and what he wants out of life—but luckily, he has his son’s new nanny, Lilah Jane Tunkle, to help get him straightened out. She left her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, hoping for adventure and excitement. But what she finds are a father and son desperately in need of her help…and her love.




If you could compare “ON THE STEAMY SIDE” to your other books, how would you say it is different?


All the books in my Recipe for Love series feature chefs, food, and romance; they’re often also about family—relationships between family members as well as the families we create for ourselves through friendship, acceptance, and love. On the Steamy Side explores fatherhood and the ways the faultlines in our own personal histories can break open and endanger our future happiness. It’s about a man who’s made mistakes, made bad choices that ended up hurting his son, and whether or not he can be redeemed. Luckily for him, with love all things are possible!




Which do you think is more important in romance writing, voice or story?


As a reader, I want a balance between voice and story. A book with the most amazing twists and turns won’t hold my attention if it’s boringly written; similarly, a fun voice can’t carry a book where nothing really happens. Although if I had to pick one, I’d go with voice—I’d probably keep reading the book with the good voice longer than the one with the intricate plot. And as a writer, I definitely rely on my voice to help me tell the kinds of stories I want to tell.




Who is your favorite author?


That is an impossible question. Like asking what my favorite food is! There are too many wonderful authors out there, books that have influenced and inspired me, as well as books I’ve yet to read. I will say that the authors who inspired me the most are Suzanne Brockmann, Jennifer Crusie, and Laura Kinsale, because they push the boundaries of mainstream romance and give the rest of us a bigger, more exciting landscape to play in.




Are you a panster or a plotter?


I’m somewhere in between—before sitting down to write, I create a story plan that gives me a loose framework of a plot so I know, generally, where I’m going and what major points I want to hit. But it’s flexible and adaptable, and leaves room for the thrill of discovery while I’m writing and getting to know the characters better.




Your book covers are amazing. Do you have any say in them?


I’ve had an incredible amount of input into the covers, and I’m so grateful for that because I know how unusual it is. And it’s so much fun! I love talking cover art. The new direction they’re going with the On the Steamy Side and Just One Taste covers makes me so happy! Fun, foodie, sexy…I think they capture the books perfectly.


Please tell us one thing that readers would be surprised to learn about you.


During college I made extra money for books by working at a bakery. We made the best scones and pound cakes. Also a pie with raspberries in an orange-flavored filling…good times!


What is next for you and when will readers expect to see it out on bookshelves?


The third Recipe for Love novel, Just One Taste, will be on shelves August 31, 2010! I can’t wait. Here’s the blurb:


HE HAS A HUNGRY MIND.
Bad-boy chef Wes Murphy is dreading his final-semester cooking class—Food Chemistry 101—until he meets the new substitute teacher. Dr. Rosemary Wilkins is a feast for the eyes, though her approach to food is strictly academic. So Wes decides to rattle her test tubes by asking for her hands-on advice—on aphrodisiacs…


SHE’S GOT LOVE DOWN TO A SCIENCE.
Rosemary is a little wary about working with Wes, whose casual flirtations make her hot around the collar. But once they begin testing the love-enhancing power of chocolate, oysters, and strawberries, it becomes scientifically evident that the brainy science nerd and the boyish chef have some major chemistry together—and it’s delicious…