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| I bought a set of these, aren't they darling? |
My guest today is the amazing Beth Ciotta. I say amazing because Beth has accomplished much in her life—for a quirky daydreamer. She pursued a career in the arts, first as a professional singer, then as a variety performer, character actress, and dancer. Finally, she remembered her early love of writing and started writing contemporary romance and has been published since 2002.
I have yet to read a story from Beth that I haven't loved. She's a gifted storyteller and I'm sure her background has helped in crafting such entertaining stories.
Her latest sinful release, is A FOOL FOR LOVE, from the Cupcake Lovers club series. It's set in a charming little town called, Sugar Creek, Vermont. Oh, I had lots of fun with this story and I'm looking forward to THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE (with two characters I loved in book one).
I asked Beth what drew her to a small town setting for story.
Nirvana is one of my new
favorite words. A place or state of oblivion.
Bliss. Heaven. Who wouldn’t want to live in a place or state of
bliss? Of course, like everything in
life “nirvana” is subjective. My idea of heaven is the small fictional town of
Sugar Creek, Vermont. The small community featured in my new series: The
Cupcake Lovers.
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| Chocolate Porter Coffee cupcakes recipe by Raspberryeggplant RECIPE |
First
choice: Vermont.
I’ve
never been to Vermont, but I’ve always had the urge to go. I’m entranced by the
scenery. The stunning mountains. The lush valleys. The vibrant foliage of the
autumn season. I thought about the Sugar Maple trees. Maple syrup. Vermont
maple syrup. I had this vivid
image of a small boy pouring syrup into an ice cold creek to make the water
sweet for his girlfriend.
Sugar
Creek.
In
that moment I knew my town would bear the same name as the creek, which would
forever spur the distinction between locals—“The creek, not the town.” Or… “The
town, not the creek.” I envisioned a Mayberry-like setting comprised of
buildings that stood no more than three-stories high. Some of the building were
converted, brightly painted barns.
Every business was independently owned. Lots of local artisans, antique
stores, a family operated department store, and an old-fashioned General Store
where everyone shopped for groceries and gossiped about the latest going-ons.
Sugar Creek exploded in my mind, as did the people who populated the quaint
tourist town year round.
Chloe
Madison, the heroine in the launch book FOOL FOR LOVE, moves to Sugar Creek to
start a new life. I got to learn my way about town right alongside her.
Together we delighted at the camaraderie and creativity of the Cupcake Lovers
club. We marveled at the complex and tightly-knitted relationships between
friends and family, the secrets and rivalries, and the budding and failing
romances. A community that celebrated the best of times and pulled together in
the worst.
Like
Chloe, I felt as if I’d found a new home. Imagine my glee knowing I wouldn’t be
leaving Sugar Creek any time soon. There are at least three more books in the
Cupcake Lovers series. Next up: The Trouble with Love, coming out March 26,
2013. And, as my amended cliché goes, the plot (and the cupcake batter)
thickens. Nirvana!
- Do you like cupcakes? Beth has a collection of cupcake recipes on her blog and she shares in her book.
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| BUY: AMAZON, B&N, B-A-M |
FOOL FOR LOVE
Beth Ciotta
Call her a fool, but chef-in-training Chloe Madison
wants to have her cake and eat it too. So when her boyfriend dumps her for some
French tart, she decides to start over from scratch—with a new life and job in
Sugar Creek, Vermont. What could be sweeter than cooking for an eccentric lady
who’s crazy for desserts? What could be more tempting than joining a club
called the Cupcake Lovers? Just one thing: local business-hunk Devlin Monroe…
Although he’s the grandson of Chloe’s fun-loving boss, Devlin Monroe is
all work and no play. Micro-managing the family business, he doesn’t have time
to indulge in life’s sweetest pleasures—until he meets Chloe. How can he
resist such a vibrant, beautiful woman who brings so much passion to the table?
But when old grudges and secrets threaten to destroy the Cupcake Lovers, Devlin
must decide if his feelings for Chloe are a recipe for disaster—or a sinfully
delicious ever after… Excerpt
You can read my review of A Fool For Love here.
Storytelling comes naturally to award-winning author Beth Ciotta.
Dubbed "fun and sexy" by Publisher's Weekly, Beth specializes in
writing Romantic Comedy with a Twist of Suspense and is published in
contemporary, historical, steampunk, and paranormal romantic fiction. "I
can't think of anything more fulfilling than writing stories where everyone
(except the villain, of course) gets a happy ending!"
Beth
lives in NJ with her husband, two zany dogs, and a crazy cat. A retired
professional performer, Beth now pours her artistic passion into her writing.
To learn more about her colorful life, visit her website. You can also find her on her blog, Facebook, Twitter
