My Friend Trish – Interview & Giveaway

by Roseanna White | Sep 24, 2010 | Uncategorized

Today I’m psyched to welcome one of my absolute favorite authors to my blog–Trish Perry! If you haven’t picked up one of her books yet, you are SO missing out. And if you have, then surely you adore her as I do. Laughs, love, and our Lord–does it get any better than that?

Trish has offered a copy of The Perfect Blend to one lucky reader, so as usual, leave your comments below with an email address. Please make sure you’re a follower, too.

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About The Perfect Blend

Steph Vandergrift left everything to elope with Middleburg attorney Rick Manfred, who then stood her up at the altar. Too embarrassed to return home, Steph hopes to earn enough to get by until she can decide what to do next. Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel hires her and appreciates the extra help at the tea shop.

Also appreciative of Steph is Kendall James, one of the kindest, most eligible bachelors in the area. But by the time Steph feels able to consider dating again, her run-away fiancé returns and tries to win her back. Steph is wary, but she and Rick always blended so well.

Christie Burnham, the frank-talking equestrian from whom Steph rents a room, and her frillier sister Liz become fast friends and confidantes to Steph. Between the two sisters, there isn’t much any man is going to pull over on Middleburg’s newest bachelorette and tea shop employee.

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About Trish

Award-winning novelist Trish Perry has written The Perfect Blend (2010), Sunset Beach (2009), Beach Dreams (2008), Too Good to Be True (2007), and The Guy I’m Not Dating (2006), all for Harvest House Publishers. Her monthly column, “Real Life is Stranger,” appeared in Christian Fiction Online Magazine during its inaugural year. She was editor of Ink and the Spirit, the newsletter of Washington D.C.’s Capital Christian Writers organization (CCW), for seven years. Before her novels, Perry published numerous short stories, essays, devotionals, and poetry in Christian and general market media. She will release several new books in 2011.

Perry holds a B.A. in Psychology, was a 1980s stockbroker, and held positions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and in several Washington law firms. She serves on the Board of Directors of CCW and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.

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What’s your latest book?

The Perfect Blend, Book One in The Tea Shop Series (Harvest House Publishers), released on September 1.

I ask that as if I’m not currently reading it, LOL. And often laughing out loud while reading it, I might add. What’s your favorite part of the story?

Of course I love the happy ending the most. But when reading my galleys, I found myself chuckling over the scene in a dog grooming shop (my heroine tries working at a number of different shops in town). I enjoyed that scene as a reader.

Shhh—I’m right at that part but haven’t read it yet. Now I want to ignore all the work I have to do and sit down with it! Sheesh, Trish. Thanks a lot. 😉 Is there a theme to this book?

I never set out with a theme or message when I begin my books. But something always emerges as my characters learn about life and love. This particular book ended up being about acceptance, how our natural need for the acceptance of others can influence our decisions in life. The message that emerged has to do with God’s obvious acceptance of us, demonstrated by His amazing sacrifice on our behalf.

I love those themes that emerge organically. What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?

Most definitely I prefer writing romantic comedy. The humor in my novels is less slapstick than it was in my earlier books. It’s more subtle now, but that hasn’t really been deliberate. It’s simply a matter of how the characters behave. I wouldn’t be surprised if things changed again in future books. It all depends on whom God puts on my heart and in my imagination.

With regard to reading, I always need a fun, light, romantic comedy here and there in my reading list. If I read too many heavy books in a row I stop appreciating them. I’m the same way with films. But I do enjoy literary novels, experimental fiction, historical fiction, and women’s fiction, among other genres. I don’t tend to pick up mysteries or suspense as often as I used to, but I still enjoy them. I don’t read many sci-fi/fantasy novels, either, but I’m game for almost anything. I enjoyed the Twilight series as if I were a teenaged girl, but I won’t read anything closer to horror than that.

Oh, right! Twilight came up when I admitted to loving it in my interview on your blog last spring. =) Here’s to regressing to teen-dom for Twilight! What are you reading right now—and what do you want to read next?

Just today I finished Australian author Peter Carey’s Oscar and Lucinda, which was quite a slog. And I’m going to start Candice Speare’s Murder in the Milk Case. I can tell that will be a fun, quick read, after which I’ll read whatever my local book club chooses when we get together this week. I’m hoping it won’t be dark—we’ve read some pretty dark tales these past couple of months. I need a break!

I can imagine! Here’s hoping they opt for exactly what you need. What would your dream office look like—and what does your REAL writing environment look like?

My dream office would look as if I had a secretary organizing my clutter and keeping me beautifully on track.

My real writing environment makes it clear that secretary lives in another dimension.

Wiley secretaries—yours must live in the same dimension as mine. And my maid. And my gardener. And—okay, next question. If someone were to give you $5,000 to spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy? (No saving or gifts to charities allowed!)

I really like that you have to make that stipulation to your interviewees to keep them from doing that (or at least claiming they would do that, says the cynic). Okay, if I can’t save it or give it away, I’m going to get really shallow. I can’t remember the last time I felt comfortable just shopping. I never go trawling through shopping malls, truly, because I don’t feel flush enough to simply shop. These days I’m sure most people can relate. But recently I needed to do some mall shopping with my son, who left for his freshman year at college. Just seeing all of the cool clothes, shoes, and jewelry in the display windows made me itchy enough to say to my son, “It would be kind of nice to be rich.” So hand it over, Roseanna. I’m off to the mall.

Uhhhh, I didn’t say I had said money. We’re assuming it drops from the sky—in which case, there better be enough for me to come shopping with you! (And for reference, the very first author to send my interview back inserted that ‘no charity’ clause—I just kept it, LOL.) Do you remember where you were when you got your first or most important call about a book contract?

How funny. I was just thinking about that day this morning. Back in 2005 I was in my office and chatting with a girlfriend on the phone. I had just told her that I wasn’t worried anymore about when or if I got a book contract. That day I had decided it would happen eventually if it was God’s will. I had barely finished my sentence when I saw an email pop up on my screen. It was from my agent, who had been trying to reach me (but I was on the phone talking about waiting on God’s will). The email said I had just won a two-book contract (my first). Isn’t that cool? God’s so awesome. I broke into an immediate sweat, babbled almost incoherently to my girlfriend, and, after we both jumped up and down screaming for a few seconds, got right off the phone and called my agent back.

That’s too cool—and I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard stories about the contract coming right when you say, “Okay, God, I’m not worrying about it anymore.” So what are you writing right now?

This week I sent Harvest House my manuscript for Tea for Two, Two in The Tea Shop Series. Naturally, it’s set in the same charming little town, and it involves two wayward teens, their father (a young farmer who provides fresh produce to the tea shop), and his budding romance with the psychological counselor who tries to provide counseling to the teens without their figuring out what she’s doing.

Now I’m working on Unforgettable, a romantic comedy set in the 1950s, for Summerside Press’s new romance line called When I Fall in Love. Unforgettable is about a ballroom dance instructor who becomes involved with a former World War II fighter pilot (now a newspaper reporter). Their mutual experiences bring them from Arlington (just outside Washington, D.C.) to Manhattan, and they discover love along the way.

Oh, soooo cool! Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?

Both Tea for Two and Unforgettable are scheduled for release in the spring. My third spring release is a devotional I wrote with four fabulous authors (Kristin Billerbeck, Sandie Bricker, Diann Hunt, and Debby Mayne), called Delight Yourself in the Lord . . . Even on Bad Hair Days (Summerside Press). That was such a fun project, and I think it will be well received.

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Thanks so much for visiting, Trish! Everybody be sure to check out her website at www.TrishPerry.com. You can order her book from Amazon or CrossPurposes.

Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 9/30/10. Winner will have two weeks to claim prize.