We have Abbie Williams with us today chatting about her release, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe. Help me in welcoming Abbie to Cocktails and Books!
Tell us about yourself.
I am a mother of three girls with a very busy schedule. I have been a writer my entire life, even though it’s only recently that I’ve been published. I like to think of myself as a fantastic observer. I get ideas for stories everywhere. In my spare time I love to take my family on nature walks, read, garden and even occasionally cook.
How did you get your start as a writer?
I loved to write from as early as I can recall. I always had a spiral-bound notebook to write in; not really a journal, because I always liked to write fictional stories. I loved to imagine what-if and then write about that. My love for romance novels began when my sisters and I would sneak our mother’s paperbacks from where she’d hidden them under her bed and read the most steamy passages aloud. It was great fun, but we always wished the books had pictures, since we didn’t understand half of what was happening.
What is your typical writing schedule like?
I find time to write whenever I can, and it’s usually after everyone else has gone to bed and I am able to meet up with my laptop for an hour or two. In the summer, when I have a break from teaching, I will get more accomplished on the writing front. But I try to write every day, since I love it. It’s more than just a habit.
Tell us about Summer at the Shore Leave Café.
This book is one I’ve played around with for quite some time. I know so many women who’ve been through a divorce and felt like the world was ending, for themselves and their children. I wanted to write a book to show how it doesn’t have to be that way; instead, it’s a new beginning. In Joelle’s case, it’s a new beginning with a super-sexy younger man, but then again, this is the world of fiction.
Where did the idea for the storyline come from?
I was watching TV years ago and a commercial came on featuring a beautiful blond woman climbing out of an SUV, surfboard under her arm. From down the beach, a group of cute boys is overtly admiring her, but then they notice that three younger girls (obviously her children) climb out of the SUV in her footsteps. And I was thinking, Moms are sexy too. Moms should have a chance for romance. I don’t remember what the commercial was advertising.
What do you think readers will like/love about Joelle and Blythe?
Well, they have incredible chemistry. And he is sweet and endearing, not to mention smokin’ hot.
What was your favorite scene from the book?
Oh, definitely the first time they kiss. It’s just so great.
Who are some of your must read authors?
Oh, wow. I have a zillion, but my most favorite are: Sara Donati, Diana Gabaldon, Louise Erdrich, LaVyrle Spencer, Lorna Landvik, Miriam Zimmer Bradley, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Judy Blume, Amy Tan, Sue Monk Kidd and Jennifer Weiner.
What are three things about you that might surprise your readers?
Three things that might surprise people…ok, this is harder to answer than I would have guessed. My favorite hero in all fiction is probably Gilbert Blythe from the Anne of Green Gables series. I’ve always had a soft spot for him, for loving Anne so truly and passionately for all those years before she even liked him. I love cooking shows but am not a great cook. I’ve dyed my hair since I was fifteen, and only have a vague idea what my natural color would be. I love Greek food and am a total homebody.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m working on the sequel to Summer at the Shore Leave Café.
We’re giving away an ebook copy of SUMMER AT THE SHORE LEAVE CAFE as part of Abbie’s visit with us. To enter, complete the form below and then leave a comment asking Abbie a question.
The winner will be chosen, at random, on March 14, 2013.
About the book
Joelle Gordon is leaving Chicago and her cheating husband to head for her hometown of Landon, Minnesota. WIth her three beautiful daughters in tow, Joelle is bombarded with an onslaught of memories that Landon evokes. Landon — home to the Shore Leave Cafe, the restaurant Joelle’s family owns — has some surprises in store for Joelle. Finding herself confronted with the reality of single motherhood, a mysterious but handsome young staffer at the Shore Leave Cafe, her upset daughters, and the prospect of returning to her husband for the well-being of her kids, Joelle must make decisions she never thought she’d face.
A story about heartbreak, blame, family, desire, love, and the difficulties of returning home, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe highlights hardships to which everyone can relate.
About the Author
Abbie Williams has been addicted to love stories ever since first sneaking her mother’s copy of The Flame and the Flower; and since then, she’s been jotting down her own in a notebook. A school teacher who spends her days with her own true love, their three daughters, and a very busy schedule, she is most happy when she gets a few hours to indulge in visiting the characters in her stories. When she’s not writing, teaching or spending time with her family, you’ll find her either camping, making a grand mess in her kitchen at various cooking attempts, or listening to a good bluegrass banjo.
Congrats Abbi on your new release! Thanks for a great interview! What was the most fun thing you did to “research” your book?
Did it take you a long time to come up with the title?