Interview with the Amazing, Candis Terry

Today I am Honored to have the Very Talented, Very Sweet Candis Terry, Author of Second Chance at the Sugar Shack and  Any Given Christmas hanging out with me.  We are talking Ghosts, Spandex Pants and More Sugar Shack!

I'll be Giving Away both of these AMAZING books to TWO Lucky Winners.  So make sure to leave a comment below with your answer to my Fun Giveaway Question. 

Good Luck to Everyone!


A Tasty Reader: Candis, Sooooo Happy to have you hanging out today!!

Candis Terry: Thanks for having me today, Lisa.

ATR: So, Firstly, I have to know.....Will we be seeing more of MATT RYAN throughout Any Given Christmas?? (Please say yes, please say yes)

Candis: Yes! How easy was that? Matt, Kate, Edna, and the whole crew will be back for Any Given Christmas. You did want to be updated on whether Matt is elected sheriff or not, right? The residents of Deer Lick and the entire Silverthorne family are the heart and soul of the Sugar Shack novels, so they will play a part in Any Given Christmas and also in Kelly’s book (currently untitled but set as a Spring 2012 release) as well. And honestly, I’ve grown to love these people so much I just couldn’t leave them behind. Kate from Second Chance at the Sugar Shack wouldn’t let me leave her behind. Warning, she just might be picking up where mom left off.

ATR: Uh....Oh...I am not sure how Dean will feel about TWO meddling ladies in his life...haha.  So, How did the idea for Second Chance come about? Any Ghosts living in your car?

Candis: No ghosts in my car, but I have had a few wander about my house from time to time.

The idea for Second Chance came about from my own life-changing situations and unresolved issues. My father died when I was 11 and my 84 yr old mother has Alzheimer’s. These situations changed my life in a big way. I’m always intrigued by how people react when everything they are familiar with abruptly changes, and how they deal with their new reality. In our family we have what is called “windshield time.” Which means, you turn off the radio and talk about everything and nothing. It was an excellent way to torture my daughter when she was a teenager. So I thought it would be befitting to have Kate and her dead mother do a little “windshield time” to work out all their issues.

ATR: I think "Windshield Time" sounds really nice.  (Big Smile)

I have to say, Josh had me rolling on the floor with his random names for the town of Deer Poop....Um...I meant Lick, Deer Lick. 

Where did you come up with the name Deer Lick?? Is it a fictional town or is it real? And if it is real....I would like directions on how to get there.....teehee

Candis: Ah yes, Josh. He was actually inspired by a cousin of mine who would tweak a phrase that left no question of how he really felt.

Who would ever name a town Deer Lick besides me? Basically I’m a cookie from a different cutter and I love things that are just this side of ordinary. So when I created the fictitious town of Deer Lick, I wanted to give it a name that was a true reflection on the whole town and the people living in it. One part hokey. Two parts charming and heartwarming. One part a big slice of small town America. Besides Idaho (where I live), Montana is one of my most favorite places on the planet. So I took three of my favorite small (and I do mean small) Montana towns—West Yellowstone, Darby, and Ennis, and I rolled them all into Deer Lick. It’s a place I’d move to in a heartbeat. Or at least visit frequently.

ATR: The way you describe it in both of the books has me looking to book a room for a visit...hum...Maybe Dean has some extra room over at his house...(wink, wink).  

So Candis, aside from the Man Candy, my stomach took note of all the delicious treats described in Second Chance. What treats can we expect in Any Given Christmas? And while we are on the subject of treats, what is your favorite Holiday Treat?

Candis: Until I turned 30, I went by the name Candi. So I guess my sugar addiction has deep roots. I guarantee there are more delicious treats in Any Given Christmas. The hero, Dean, has a real fondness for . . . muffins.

My favorite holiday treat? Hmmm. I have to choose just one? Impossible. One of my many favorites is my Aunt Marge’s divinity. Okay, she really wasn’t a blood relative. She was the neighbor across the street. But she was one of my mom’s best friends and she was the nicest, kindest woman I’ve ever met. And she made amazing divinity. It’s tough to make because the humidity in the air has to be perfect (or so she said), but when you make a good batch and you bite into it, it’s a guaranteed trip to heaven.

ATR: I love those "will never be replicated because only Aunt So and So made it best and it will never be the same" recipe's.  Makes you want to find that special thing that ONLY you can make and people will talk about you for years to come.

So, I read about the many career "HATS" you have worn, from Graphic Design to Designing Costumes for 80's Hair Bands (Um...tight leopard spandex anyone?), and that is just naming a few. How did you end up wearing the "Author Hat"?

Candis: Funny you should mention leopard spandex. Been there. Done that.

I’ll admit I have led a rather diverse existence. And it’s been really fun for the most part. Okay, wiping sheep noses, not so much. My Author’s Hat came about because I couldn’t act my way out of a good script. In college I took drama. And apparently I sucked. For an assignment we were instructed to write a biography for the theatrical character we were presenting from the time of their birth to the time in which the play took place. I remember mine was a thirty-something divorcee. I received an A++ on my biography with a note from the teacher to stick to the writing and leave the acting to others.

Later when my daughter was born, a friend gave me a bunch of romance novels to read while I was rocking my wonderful child who was a complete night owl. One of the stories sparked something in my head and I knew the only way to get it out was to write it down. I had no idea what I was doing and I didn’t discover Romance Writers of America until three years later. I’ve been driven by the characters in my head ever since.

ATR:  I know how you feel...Sometimes they have more to say than I do!!  

Speaking of people who hear voices, who are some of your Favorite Authors, or Authors that have inspired you?

Candis: I consider myself a readaholic, so I have a pretty big keeper shelf. Rachel Gibson is one of my absolute favorites. I love how her heroes are such real men who don’t always say or do the right thing. Judith McNaught has always been one of my favorites. It was her book Whitney, My Love that inspired that first story in my head. And Suzanne Brockmann. What can I say about her writing than wow. Just. Wow. She has inspired more heart palpitations than I can count.

ATR: A girl after my own heart, but Paradise was my Judith McNaught "Ahh" moment. 

While we are on the subject of Great writers, what can we expect next from The Sugar Shack Series? Any hints you can give us about Kelly's book?

Candis: The next book in the Sugar Shack novels will be an Avon Impulse Spring 2012 release. Here’s just a little hint about what you will find in our third trip to our favorite Montana town: Letty Silverthorne has her work cut out for her when her middle child, Kelly, returns home to Deer Lick reeling from a major courtroom loss and needing to shake the “Sister Serious” moniker she’s been carrying since childhood. With the help of her dead mother and a former bad boy in uniform, anything is possible at the Sugar Shack.

ATR: CANT WAIT!!  There were so many sparks flying between those two in Any Given Christmas....I thought a fire would break out!

Once the Sugar Shack series is finishes, do you have anything brewing for another Series or Single Title? Is there any other Genre you would like to write for?

Candis: Honestly, I have more stories in my head than my fingers will probably ever type. I do have another series coming down the line and a possible anthology. So please stay tuned to my website www.candisterry.com for news as it happens.

As for writing in another genre? Yeah, but man, it would be so different than what I’m writing now. I can honestly say that I will write it because I have to write it. The protagonist has been hitting me over the head with his story for three years now. I’ve been politely ignoring him. But he’s a hardheaded (and hot) detective with a very big stick. Oh, and there will be death involved. Just sayin’.

ATR: Big Stick....your funny!!  It could be a fun venture!!

So before I let you go, As the Guest of Honor, you have to answer the Giveaway Question: Have you ever been set up by a Family member? (AKA: Nosy Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Co-worker)

If yes, please tells us if the date was a Tru Dud or True Love!!

Candis: I don’t believe I’ve ever been the Guest of Honor of anything before, so I will be happy to answer the Giveaway Question.

Yes. Many years ago I was set up by a wayward cousin. Final report: major Tru Dud.

I dressed to the nines since I had been given no clue about the date. Better to be safe than sorry. Right? He was a nice looking guy who picked me up in a yellow Porsche. Hmmm. Promising. He seemed very excited about where he was taking me on our date though he wouldn’t tell me where we were going. Me, being the suspicious type, I mentally clicked off what weapons I had stashed in my purse.

It was a long drive to get where we were going and the entire time he told me how wonderful and successful he was. Immediate turn off. Don’t tell me. Show me. When we finally arrived at our destination I was shocked and for once in my life (literally) speechless. He’d taken me to a WWF (now WWE) wrestling match to see Hulk Hogan. He bought me a beer and popcorn and then proceeded to shout profanities at the ring throughout the entire evening. When he took me home he expected a flying liplock. Ummm, no thank you.

ATR: Thank You, Thank You so much for taking the time to chat with me today, and Congratulations on the Release of Any Given Christmas. I will be telling ALL of MY FRIENDS about it!! I think they will all be getting a copy for Christmas!!

 Candis: It’s been a really fun visit! And I wish you and everyone a very merry!

ATR: And A Happy and a HEALTHY to you and your Family too!!

Giveaway Question: Have you ever been set up by a Family member? (AKA: Nosy Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Co-worker) 
If yes, please tells us if the date was a True Dud or True Love!!

*Don't forget to post your email address with your answer so I can contact the winners.  Winners will be announced tomorrow, so don't forget to check back!!  Good Luck!

Delectable Guest

Growing up in Southern California, I was too busy reading books, hanging out at the beach, or finding ways to have a good time that wouldn’t land me on restriction to even consider writing a book. Oddly enough, a college drama teacher (who politely discouraged my inept acting abilities) encouraged me to develop the A+ character bio I’d created into a complete story. Right. Years later, in the midst of a bleary-eyed all-nighter (rocking my newborn, that is), I picked up a romance novel and fell in love with more than just the infant in my arms.

I’m married to a wonderful man who takes out the trash without being asked and who puts up with all my crazy ideas. To find inspiration, my family and I often grab our trailer and ATV and venture out to discover the off-road splendor of the Idaho wilderness. And when I need a fun dose of reality, I call upon my daughter and her little Mini-Me or one of our 3 furry troublemakers.

Life is good down on the farm!

For More Information on Candis and Her Books