Sheila Roberts Talks Tasty Reads and Giveaway

What a special treat I have for you today...Sheila Roberts, author of the newly released, Better Than Chocolate, is here and she is talking sweet treats and delicious reads...Sheila is also kind enough to give away a copy of her new release, so please make sure to answer the giveaway question at the bottom of this post in order to be entered. 

 

A Tasty Read: Sheila, we are honored to have you here at A Tasty Read to talk about your upcoming Release, Better Than Chocolate!!

  Speaking of Chocolate, what is your biggest downfall? For me, it's a huge Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake...yummy...How about you?

 

Sheila Roberts: Frango mint pie! This is basically a French silk pie with mint. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and you’re in taste bud heaven! It’s so rich you can’t eat very much at a time. (That doesn’t prevent me from trying though!)

A Tasty Read: That sounds utterly amazing...For my Tasty Readers who don't know this about you, I read that you used to be in a band and still write songs.  What song is your Go-to, singing at the top of your lungs in your car SONG?

Sheila: I do still write songs. In fact, I hope your tasty readers will go to Youtube in November when my novel Merry Ex-mas is out and watch the music video “Merry Christmas Mama”, which we’re putting up as a fun bonus for readers. As far as a sing at the top of my lungs song, that can be anything that has harmony. But I’m especially fond of Billy Ocean’s “Get Out of My Dreams and Into My Car” and Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”.

A Tasty Read: I am fond of Reba's "I Want a Cowboy" myself.  Out of all of the books you've written, which character is the most like you, or do you put a bit of yourself into each character you write?

Sheila: Somehow, part of me seems to always show up in my characters. In my novel “Small Change” there was a lot of me in the character Jess. In my book “Bikini Season” one of my characters was a bit of a hypochondriac. That’s so me.
 

A Tasty Read: Let's talk BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE...Tell us a little bit about the book?

 

 

Sheila: I’m very excited about this book because it celebrates the resiliency and strength of the human spirit. My heroine Samantha Sterling and her family have got trouble. Her dear, walking disaster of a stepfather has died, leaving the family chocolate factory in big trouble. (A chocolate company in trouble – this is not a good thing!) and Samantha is left in the unenviable position of having to save it. And save it she must since this business provides a lot of jobs for the people in the town of Icicle Falls.

The town’s been in a bit of slump, so when Samantha comes up with the crazy idea of putting on a chocolate festival in a very short amount of time, everyone gets behind her. And then the romance and craziness really begins. I must admit I’m very fond of this book because I think it’s both funny and poignant. At least I hope it is. Hey, and it’s got chocolate recipes in it. You can’t go wrong with that, right?

A Tasty Read: As a writer, I know that the idea for a story can show up out of nowhere...How did you come up with the idea for BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE?

Sheila: I really thought it would be fun to write about a chocolate company. I asked myself, “What would happen if that company was in trouble?” and that was my jumping off place. I also wanted to do something to honor the town of Leavenworth, Washington. Back in the fifties this town was on the verge of becoming a ghost town, but in the early sixties the town reinvented itself and today Leavenworth is a charming alpine village and a popular tourist destination – a real success story.

A Tasty Read: What can we expect next from the desk of Sheila Roberts?  Do you have anything new in the works?

Sheila: Merry Ex-mas will be coming out right after this book – a fun tale of three women and their exes, also set in the fictional town of Icicle Falls. And boy, did I have fun with that book. I hope readers will, too.

A Tasty Read: I am definitely adding it to my TBR Pile...I can't wait to read  more tales from Icicle Falls! 

Thank you again so much for stopping by, and for Hosting this Awesome Giveaway!!  As Giveaway Host, you get to come up with the Giveaway question.

Sheila: Thank you so much for having me. And don’t you think our question should have something to do with chocolate? How about, “What is your favorite kind of chocolate?”

Ok, Tasty Readers...Leave your comment sharing with us your Favorite kind of Chocolate, and a valid email address and you will be entered in the Better Than Chocolate Giveaway.  Winner will be announced Monday, Oct 1st.


**Big Thank You to the wonderful ladies at Little Bird Publicity for setting up this interview and giveaway with Sheila...you ladies are the best!!