About Louisa:
Louisa Edwards grew up in Virginia and graduated from Bryn Mawr College before moving to Manhattan to work with some of the biggest names in book publishing. She later moved to Ohio, where she worked as a restaurant reviewer. She decided to bring her love of romance and cooking together by writing the Recipe for Love series.
Find Louisa online at her official website, www.louisaedwards.com, and her blog, Recipe for Love.
FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.
The interview:
drey: Hello, Louisa! Welcome back to Drey’s Library, and congratulations on releasing Just One Taste! I’m jumping right in... Can you share your first sale story with us?
Louisa: My first sale only happened because I jumped off the paranormal bandwagon (I love to read them, but apparently shouldn’t write them!) and started writing a book I thought would never sell. Okay, not never—I obviously hoped it would sell. But I knew it was risky to do a contemporary romance with an unusual occupation for the hero (a chef is not a billionaire tycoon, a small town cop, or a Navy SEAL, after all.)
My incredibly smart agent suggested that I set aside the paranormal manuscript I’d been working on for the past year and a half, and write something I felt truly connected to and passionate about, and for me, that meant the connection between food and love, and the fast-paced pressure cooker of a professional restaurant in New York City. I wrote the proposal in three months, and she sold it to St. Martin’s in two weeks.
drey: That's awesome! Not about the paranormal manuscript, about selling your book in two weeks! *grin* Where do you find inspiration for your books? And when you have one, how do you capture that “a-ha!” moment?
Louisa: I get inspiration from lots of places—food television shows like “Top Chef” and “No Reservations,” culinary memoirs like Heat by Bill Buford and A Return to Cooking by Eric Ripert, and from my own experiences in the kitchen.
I always tell myself I’ll start carrying around a little notebook to write down the funny things I hear and the snippets of ideas that occur to me in random places, but I haven’t managed it yet! I actually have a note file on my phone for that stuff.
drey: Can you tell us about Just One Taste, your latest Recipe for Love novel?
Louisa: Just One Taste returns to trendy Manhattan eatery, Market, and its crew of misfits and renegades. This time, they’re joined by ex-con-artist-turned-culinary-student Wes Murphy, who's hiding out and nursing a broken heart—until the object of his affections, food chemistry genius Dr. Rosemary Wilkins, shows up at Market, looking to continue their research project on aphrodisiacs!
These two were a total blast to write—Rosemary is shy, awkward, brilliant, and a complete nerd, which gave me free rein to let that part of me loose on the page.
(drey: I was very impressed by the ultra-geekiness that resided in Just One Taste...)
And Wes is maybe the most romantic hero I’ve ever written, because he takes Rosemary exactly as she is and loves everything about her.
drey: Will there be more books in this series? What’s next?
Louisa: Can’t Stand the Heat, On the Steamy Side and Just One Taste together make up the Market trilogy, and while each can definitely be read as a stand alone story, there are subplots that arc through all three books. I feel good about how those subplots were wrapped up in Just One Taste, so I’m moving on to a new trilogy in 2011.
Don’t worry, though! It’s set in the same world, and even in real life, the culinary scene is small; chefs tend to know each other. It’s the same with my characters. You’ll see some familiar faces pop up in Too Hot to Touch, Some Like it Hot, and Hot Under Pressure, my trilogy following a group of talented young chefs through a high-stakes culinary competition! The first one is due out in August 2011, with the other two scheduled fairly closely after it.
drey: Your book on the screen: which one, and who’s in it?
Louisa: You know, what I’d really love to see is a television series based on the Market trilogy. There are so many great reality-based shows about chefs; I think the time is ripe for an evening drama set in a restaurant!
As for casting…well, if I could have anyone in the world, I’d steal Jared Padalecki from the set of “Supernatural” and make him play Wes Murphy. And I think Kristen Bell would make an adorable Rosemary Wilkins! Anyone else have any casting ideas, say for Executive Chef Adam Temple or celebrity chef Devon Sparks?
drey: What’s your favorite accompaniment to chocolate?
Louisa: Strawberries, of course!
drey: Um, yeah, I think I knew that... *wink* What do you indulge in, when not writing?
Louisa: When I’m not under deadline, I like to play around with short stories to offer for free on my website. I’ve done a couple of free reads, just for fun, and I love being able to talk about them with readers on Twitter and Facebook!
drey: What books have you read recently? Why’d you pick them up?
Louisa: Right now I’m in the middle of Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain and Something About You by Julie James. Both phenomenal! Tony’s book Kitchen Confidential was a huge inspiration for the Recipe for Love series, and I adore the way he writes about food, chefs, and travel. I grabbed Something About You because it’s a contemporary romance that got a ton of buzz when it came out, and I wanted to see why. Turns out, it’s because it’s great. : )
On my TBR pile: Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann, Heart of Fire by Kristen Painter, Make Her Pay by Roxanne St. Claire, Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole, and Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie.
drey: Thank you for taking the time to visit again! Come back often!
Louisa: Thank you for having me here! It’s always fun to hang out at drey’s library.
Giveaway!
Ok y'all, put your thinking caps on. Who do you think should be cast in a TV series based on the Market trilogy? Up for grabs: why, the books themselves, of course! 1 autographed set (Can't Stand the Heat, On the Steamy Side, and Just One Taste)! US and Canada residents only. Comment with your ideas, include your email address so I can contact you if you win. Tweet for an extra entry (comment with your twitter status). Do it before 6:00pm CST September 23rd, and good luck!!
22 comments:
I know people always say things like, I already have the books, so don't enter me...but enter me! I want the set. I'll pimp them out to known foodies. :)
I think Adam must be played by Sam Talbot from Top Chef Season 2. I would so like to get some cooking lessons from him. Kate Hudson would be a good Miranda. She could go red for the role.
Devon - I'm sorry, but I can't help putting celebrity chefs in these roles. I picture Scott Conant. He's got the alpha dog and sometimes abrasive persona thing going. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/dining/14off.html?_r=1
I haven't found the right person to fit my vision of Wes yet. Maybe one will emerge as I read the book. :)
jeannie@jeannielin.com
Great interview! I love the Kristen Bell idea! I'm never very good at casting, but besides Bell, maybe a nice nerdy girl from Glee, like Lea Michele?
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
Jeannie - I love that you're casting chefs to play my chefs! Maybe we should make it one of those faux reality series, like The Office. LOL
holdenj - Lea Michele is fun! She makes a good smart girl. : )
I think that Jennifer Annisten would be cute in these. thanks.
dorcontest at gmail dot com
Please enter me in contest. I was thinking of maybe Martha Stewart. Tore923@aol.com
I tweeted! :)
http://twitter.com/DoreenRiopel/status/24120379855
dorcontest at gmail dot com
I am so loving the Recipe for Love series. I love Frankie and Jess!
As for casting...hmm its hard but let me give it a try.
Ok so I've been watching The Pillars if the Earth and I'm in love with Eddie Redmayne who played Jack but I think he would make a great Jess. And maybe Colin Farrel for Frankie with his bad boy attitude. OR Charlie Hunnam but from Green Street Hooligans.
Congrats on the new release!
dor - Jennifer Aniston is adorable! She'd make a good Miranda. Thanks for the tweet!
Tore - Hm. I'm not sure who Martha Stewart would play, but that's an interesting suggestion.
Jamie Lynn - Charlie Hunnam is a hottie! Nice one. : )
I'm horrible with casting questions, but I do love the Kristen Bell idea.
carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com
A real chef would be a great hero, like Curtis Stone or Jamie Oliver... love the accents LOL...
A female lead perhaps, Calista Flockhart or Evangeline Lily
Please enter me in the giveaway
juatpeachy36@yahoo.com
For a real chef I would cast Carlo Rota. He has a great personality and is a chef as well. For the woman Danie Coleman. Thanks for this giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
carolsnotebook - Yay, another vote for Kristen Bell! That totally counts.
justpeachy36 - Ah, the hotness of Brit chefs. And I'm afraid Calista is too skinny to be believable as a chef's love interest! But Evangeline is gorgeous and so talented. Love her!
traveler - Interesting, I'll have to look both of those up! Thanks for commenting.
i think any movie with hugh jackman in it would be a hit (for the ladies) hint hint... i love him!!! LOL!
thanks for the chance to win!!!
tina
stampitchick at yahoo dot ca
A movie starring Nathan Fillion would be a hit. The female Elisha Cuthbert. Thanks for this post. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com
Oooooh, tina. Hugh=yummy! :)
Jamie-wasn't that an awesome show? Eddie Redmayne would be an awesome Jess!
I'd like to see Aron Sanchez and Gwenyth Paltrow in these roles.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
TV series, I'm going to have to go with Terri Colombino who plays Katie on the now canceled As
The World Turns.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
These sound like awesome books but I haven't read her books before so I cannot offer an intelligent answer as to who should be cast!
littleone AT shaw DOT ca
I have not read any books by Louisa Edwards. I would love to have the opportunity to do so. As for casting, I think that Michael Voltaggio or his twin brother Brian would be great as the chef.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
As ossmcalc, I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/24679946773
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
Would love to win! Thanks for the opportunity!
littleone AT shaw DOT ca
OH I'm so bad at the casting thing. But I would say Drew Barrymore she did a great job with awkward nerdiness in Never Been Kissed. Plus she has healthy curves to her body. I agree that it would be great to see a real chef in the role like Curtis Stone or one of the VOltaggio brothers.
giveawaymommy at yahoo.com
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