DEVILS FOOD CAKE / Tour – Q&A – Review / 3/8/2010

Q & A

She’s patterned after a lot of people—the neighborhood busybody, the fabulous cook who’s cookies always go first at a potluck, and the teacher you wished you had in second grade. I took several people I know and kind of mushed them together; Sadie was the result and while she’s exasperating at times, I hope she’s mostly loveable.

Well, I’m from Utah, which is somewhat similar to Colorado so I felt a little more comfortable writing about an area I felt I knew. I also appreciate the value system of the midwest, and can relate to it and yet Colorado isn’t a state with a lot of stereotypes like Hawaii, New York, and the South, so I felt it gave me license to make Sadie whoever she was, rather than put her into a preconceived mold based on region.

  Will Sadie be traveling to any new countries in the future?

Not countries, but she does travel to other states in future books. Book four is Key Lime Pie set in—surprise—Southern Florida. Book Five will be Blackberry Crumble and set around Portland Oregon. It’s fun to incorporate recipes from the areas, and yet Sadie has her own home cooking roots that always mingle in.

  Where do you find the recipes that are included in your culinary mysteries, and do you serve them to your family and friends?

Some of the recipes are my own—although it’s always weird to think of them that way because they all started as someone else’s. Once I’ve changed them around I consider them mine, so several of the recipes are from my own recipe box. I’ve also gotten several from family members and others came from members of my Test Kitchen; a vol
unteer group of excellent cooks who help me perfect the recipes. 

  How do you juggle, family, church, and writing?

Not very well most of the time, at least that’s how it seems since I’m always behind on something. I tend to obsess about different things at different times. One week I might be writing like mad, and neglecting other things, another week I might get my calling and housework caught up but not write very much. I’m very blessed to have a very supportive family who supports my deadlines—and not just for my books. I move fast and I work hard to keep my family at the top of my list; everything else finds its place and waits patiently, most of the time, until it’s their turn. 

  What callings have you held, and do you have a favorite?

I’m currently serving on the Enrichment committee in my ward; I’ve been there before. I’ve served in scouts over and over and over again until I can half-hitch in my sleep. I’ve been the Activity Chairperson and actually served a lot on ‘projects’ like an RS dinner or a service project. I do find that I often serve in a solitary role—even when I was Activity Chairperson, there was no committee. I figure that means I’m either scary or I smell bad. I’m not sure I have a favorite—every calling I’ve ever had has intimidated the bejeebies out of me. And yet I can say I’ve learned things about myself through every one of them that I treasure (except maybe scouts, just kidding.)

  How do you decide which books will be have “LDS theme content”?

Until Sadie came to mind I figured they would all have an LDS theme—I really enjoy writing for the LDS community; I like taking a tough issue and making it “fit” our culture. But Sadie was different. I started writing the book when I wasn’t sure if the LDS wanted me, no matter how much I wanted them. I worried my LDS books were too edgy, too different (which, at the time, they were—they fit better now) so I started writing about Sadie who had similar values but just didn’t address religion. I could easily add LDS themes to the books and they would still work, but not having LDS themes means that a larger audience can enjoy them.

Lots of writing takes place at our office—we own a small business and I do the bookkeeping—I fit it in around my day-job responsibilities. At home I am usually at the kitchen table simply because I don’t like “checking out” when the family is home.

 Now for some random silly questions:

A cruise–anywhere!

 If you have a cleaning service…do you clean up, before she/they arrive?

Oh yeah. I don’t want them to see just how bad it really is.

< span style="font-size: 14px;">  What is the most embarrassing thing that your children have ever done in public?

Wet their pants, yelled out about the fat lady, threw up all over me—the typical. I tend to block out the specifics once I stop crying. 🙂

 Does the toilet paper hang over or behind?

Over, over, over! If it’s behind then people hit the walls when they reach for it and that’s just gross.