Blog Tour: Author Interview & Book Giveaway - Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

Welcome to Author Darien Gee!


Bio:
Darien Gee lives with her husband and three children in Hawaii. She is the bestselling author of three previous novels (Good Things, Sweet Life and Table Manners) written under the name Mia King. You can visit Darien Gee’s website at www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com. 


Interview:

What inspired you to become an author?

I was attending elementary school in Houston at the time, and I remember looking up a book in the card catalog at the library. The cards were individually typed and filed alphabetically by author. I remember thinking how amazing it would be to write a book and have your name on one of the cards. I’ve always been in awe of authors. I still am.

What's the craziest writing idea you've had?

There used to be a chicken farm near my house in Hawaii, a mass-production kind of place with lots of chickens crammed into one space. Then one day we drove by and there were no more chickens. It was completely empty. I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened to those chickens—where did they go? Why did the place shut down? The whole thing had an eerie feel to it. My creative mind was on a roll and the next thing I knew I had an international thriller on my hands (Espionage! Intrigue! Betrayal! Love!). In the end I decided I should leave the idea with more capable authors who write in those genres.

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Aside from being a literary icon, he’s one of my favorite authors and I have a lot of respect for his writing.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin, no cheese, side of hash browns. On the days when my arteries are protesting, I’ll opt for half a papaya with a squeeze of lime and fresh berries. I know, go figure.

Night owl, or early bird?

Night owl. When I’m on deadline or in the midst of a first draft, my husband will sometimes pass me in the hallway at the crack of dawn. He’ll be getting up just as I’m heading to bed.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Don’t give up, learn to be your own editor and first reader, understand the business of writing, and do it because you love it.

What is your favorite Quote?

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Hawaii. Wait, I already live there [Darien and her husband moved to the Big Island from the Bay Area in 2000], so I guess I’m exactly where I want to be!

Pet Peeves?

Overflowing laundry hampers.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?

“Taking Chances” by Celine Dion. I played it repeatedly while I was writing the novel, and I’ve had one for every book I’ve ever written. Theme songs help you remember what’s going on with your characters and where you want them to go.

What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Trust yourself. You already know what to do, and if you don't, you'll figure it out. 

An anonymous gift sends a woman on a journey she never could have anticipated.

One afternoon, Julia Evarts and her five-year-old daughter, Gracie, arrive home to find an unexpected gift on the front porch: a homemade loaf of Amish Friendship Bread and a simple note: I hope you enjoy it. Also included are a bag of starter, instructions on how to make the bread herself, and a request to share it with others.
Still reeling from a personal tragedy that left her estranged from the sister who was once her best friend, Julia remains at a loss as to how to move on with her life. She’d just as soon toss the anonymous gift, but to make Gracie happy, she agrees to bake the bread.

When Julia meets two newcomers to the small town of Avalon, Illinois, she sparks a connection by offering them her extra bread starter. Widow Madeline Davis is laboring to keep her tea salon afloat while Hannah Wang de Brisay, a famed concert cellist, is at a crossroads, her career and marriage having come to an abrupt end. In the warm kitchen of Madeline’s tea salon, the three women forge a friendship that will change their lives forever.

In no time, everyone in Avalon is baking Amish Friendship Bread. But even as the town unites for a benevolent cause and Julia becomes ever closer to her new friends, she realizes the profound necessity of confronting the painful past she shares with her sister.

About life and loss, friendship and community, food and family, Friendship Bread tells the uplifting story of what endures when even the unthinkable happens.

Book Giveaway:
1 copy of Friendship Bread
Open to US & Canada
Ends 6/13/11

To Enter just leave a comment on this post.  Make sure there is a way to contact you if you win.