Spotlight on Trish Perry and The Perfect Blend

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author, TRISH PERRY is an award-winning novelist who 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.

The Perfect Blend
by Trish Perry
Published by Harvest House

ABOUT THE BOOK

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.

Readers, buy your copy of The Perfect Blend today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

The series idea was planted by my editor at Harvest House while she and I brainstormed a year or so ago. The first thing I thought of for the series was Milly Jewell, the tea shop owner. I based her a little on my British mum—a version of her at my current age. And then for The Perfect Blend I wanted to create a young heroine who would have a reason to work for Milly while taking the reader on a tour of the town and its inhabitants. So Steph’s predicament—being stranded in a new town, struggling with independence and the need to feel accepted—evolved from that.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

I think all of us, at one time or another, experience self-doubt and the need for assurance from others that we’re valued. I’ve certainly experienced that at points in my life. We all thrive on knowing we contribute in some way. These are the issues I’ve shared with Steph. The way she stumbles along, the disoriented state through which she sometimes acts, are all her. But I can imagine getting to the point she gets in the story, where your heartbreak and insecurity guide your decisions. Those decisions might be awful in real life, but they make for fun (and funny) reading!

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Oh! I found the perfect flavor for Steph: Baskin-Robbins’ Acceptance Peach. It was a flavor back in 1976 during the Presidential election. It fits for Steph because she wants so much to feel accepted, and she really is such a peach. A total sweetheart, even though she’s a bit of a mess. I think I even described her creamy cheeks as being like ripe peaches when she smiles (which she does, more and more, as the story develops).

4. Are there any themes in The Perfect Blend that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I never really zero in on a major theme when I first get started. I do allow one to develop as I go, and then I tweak during my rewrites to hone that theme. I’ve mentioned the natural human need for acceptance several times above, and that was what developed through Steph’s experiences. And the verse that came to mind as I finished the book was 1 John 4:19: “We love because he first loved us.” Regardless of how we interpret the attitudes of others, we can always embrace the fact that God accepted us so fully He sacrificed His most precious Child for us. You can’t be more accepted than that, can you?

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult parts involved the hero’s teenaged brother, Chip, who has a disability. The boy has a fantastic attitude, as did my late sister, Noreen, who lived with a similar disability. But Noreen’s situation was much more dire than this boy’s, so life was harder for her. I know Chip’s ability to thrive was possible, because Noreen managed to live to the fullest until her health deteriorated. I think I wrote Chip’s life the way I wish it had been for my sister.

My favorite parts to write were the romantic exchanges between Steph and the hero, Kendall. They were playful with each other almost immediately, thanks to his personality. I love that.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

I have a few releases coming up, but I think the next book to release will be the second book in The Tea Shop Series, Tea for Two, which releases April 1, 2011. Here’s the blurb:

Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he's losing his grip on them in their teen years. They've both had scrapes with the local law.


Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel has the perfect woman in mind to help Zack. Counselor Tina Milano meets weekly at the tea shop with her women's group. Milly encourages Zack and Tina to work together to draw the teens back before they get in even hotter water. Milly never thought things might heat up between Zack and Tina. Or did she?


Tina's connections with the Middleburg police department prove a mixed blessing for Zack and his kids. Both her best friend and old boyfriend are officers on the force.


And when Tina's women's group gets wind of her personal pursuits and clashes, they want to help. The group's meetings at the tea shop take on a slightly different flavor. Tina wonders who, exactly, is counseling whom.

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Thank you, Trish, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of The Perfect Blend. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Do you struggle, or have you struggled, with feeling you aren’t accepted? How do you deal with that awful feeling?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Spotlight on Trish Perry and Sunset Beach

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TRISH PERRY is an award-winning novelist who has written 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. She writes a monthly column, “Real Life is Stranger,” for Christian Fiction Online Magazine. 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.

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 the American Christian Fiction Writers group and Romance Writers of America. Perry lives in Northern Virginia with her teenaged son. She invites you to visit her at www.trishperry.com.

SUNSET BEACH
by Trish Perry
Published by Harvest House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sonny Miller is tired of not knowing who she is. Soon she’ll begin graduate school to earn her masters in Psychology. But how can she counsel future clients about their identities when she isn’t even sure about her own? To that end she has cooked up a little meeting at a certain beach house in San Diego.

Sonny’s mother, classical soprano Teresa Miller, isn’t aware she’s about to be reunited at the beach house with her sister, Melanie Hines, after 25 years of estrangement. And Sonny isn’t aware her mother has invited a surprise guest of her own. Russian adoptee, Irina Petrova, finds herself dragged along on a trip so tumultuous she summons her handsome concert violinist brother for moral support.

The four women converge on the funky little beach house in San Diego, each with her own disappointments and hopes about family, identity, and love. For Sonny, the trip reveals all she expected and more than she ever dreamed.

Buy Your Copy of Sunset Beach today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

The setting was already a given. All of the books in the Beach House series are set at the same curious little beach house at Mission Beach in San Diego, with different characters and stories each time around. As I do before every book, I prayed and waited for inspiration before writing a single word. When I do that, tidbits just pop into my head at odd moments of the day. What came to me first for Sunset Beach were twins. When I wrote up a summary, I actually considered two sets of twins—one middle aged and American, one younger and of Russian descent. But as I bounced ideas off of my critique partners and listened to their guidance, I tweaked here and there to come to the characters now peopling the book. And my heroine was the connection between them all. Once I started thinking about her life goals and how they might be thwarted, the roles of the other characters took shape. The story simply came together from that point on.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that are theirs and theirs alone?

My characters and I seldom have much in common, and that was the case with Sunset Beach, as well. That said, I must admit, if they do or say something embarrassing or reeking of human failure, there’s often a germ of reality there. But most of what my characters do, think, and say is, for me, like acting. I step into their heads and think as they do, not as I do. That enables me to come up with characters who are more than I am—more noble, more selfish, more vulnerable, more blunt, more romantic. My writing voice is a result of my own experiences, but my characters aren’t like me at all.

3. If one of your characters were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

As a heroine with a true character arc, Sonny Miller changes flavor by the time the story ends. She starts out vanilla, with a slight ripple (we can make it fudge ripple); because she really knows so little about herself or her past, and she’s unnerved by that (that’s our ripple). But by the time the story ends, her flavor is more like Ben & Jerry’s “everything but the . . .” flavor. She learns more than she ever dreamed about her past and steps toward significant changes in her future, all of which could be quite overwhelming.

4. Are there any themes in Sunset Beach that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

The overriding theme has to do with personal identity. Whether we do so consciously or not, we all base our identity on something, whether it’s our family history, our accomplishments, who we love, who loves us, or how we live today. The theme that developed in the telling of Sonny’s story was where our true identity lies, if we’re believers. When we strip everything else away, who are we, really? Should nothing else about us endure, what part of our identity will always endure?

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The story itself came fairly smoothly—the relationship development and actual chain of events. The part that was the most difficult was the setting. I lived in California as a wee one, but I remember little of it. And I never lived in (or even visited) San Diego. So I had to do quite a bit of research and correspond with businesses and residents of the area to get myself grounded and familiar with where everything would happen. I’m not a big fan of research, which is one reason I don’t write historical. I fret about every detail, and that’s bad enough when you’re writing contemporary, let alone delving into history.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

I don’t know what my next book will be, actually. I have six proposals floating around at the moment, and I’m due to get a seventh one finished and submitted. I don’t know which (if any) of those projects will be next. I’m just waiting on the Lord for that. The subject matters of the various proposals are varied, as are the characters involved. So I’ll either be writing older women or thirty-somethings, and they’ll be living in the Washington, D.C. area or North Carolina or in a small town somewhere. Or not! We shall see.

Thanks, Tiff!

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Thank you, Trish, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Sunset Beach.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

I've Been Tagged! Wanna Play?

I've moved this to today from the previous post date of September 27th as I'll be doing the drawing from the comments left on the 15th. So, if you'd like to leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of one of my books, you have 7 more days.

Kim over a Window to my World and Stormi over at Mystery, Suspense and God, Oh My! have both tagged my window to play! Remember how much fun that was when you were a kid? Always wanted to run away or tempt the person who was "it" or wanting to be "it" yourself. :) So, here goes a good new-fashioned game of tag, folks!

Feel free to copy this game and tag friends of yours, or post a comment to be entered in a drawing to receive a FREE autographed copy of one of my books. And if you're really adventurous, try to trace this game back to the first person who started it. LOL!

Here are the rules for those I'm tagging. Check the list after my 6 THINGS to see if you're it then:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

6 Random THINGS about me:

1. Before I got married, I was the only living female "Miller" in my family. The rest were all boys, as the women all married into the name.

2. My great-grandfather's cousin married President Woodrow Wilson during his presidency, so I'm somewhat related to American "royalty." :) Edith Galt was from the side of my family who founded Galt & Bros. Jewelers in Washington, D.C., a very elite jewelry company. What a shame none of the "luxury" passed down to me.

3. I've lived in 5 different states and traveled to 3 foreign countries; plus, by the time I was 14, I had moved 9 times. Now, that count is up to 15 times in 32 years. Let's just say when we get a house, now, I want it to be a place where we can settle for a while. And if it's just a starter home, we'll hang in there for 5 years then get our long-term home where I hope to raise our children and give them the stability I never had growing up.

4. My husband and his writing influenced a character in Brandilyn Collins' Kanner Lake book series, and he even wrote blog posts on the Kanner Lake blog, Scenes and Beans. Oh, and he even autographed books with Brandilyn at the 2006 ACFW conference, signing his character name of Ted "S-Man" Dawson.

5. I got my big start in web site design when I was hired to design and run actress Jane Seymour's web site in 2000, although I'd been working in design since 1997.

6. I've visited all but 12 of the 50 states in the U.S. and I have a goal to visit those 12 as well before my life on earth comes to an end, so I can mark them off my unofficial list. :)

Now, you're it!

Kim Woodhouse
Trish Perry
Stuart Stockton
Deeanne Gist
Shannon McNear
Kaye Dacus

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Blog Tour - Trish Perry and Beach Dreams

I'm thrilled today to be part of the kickoff of a good friend of mine's 2-week blog tour. Her 3rd book, Beach Dreams, closes out a trilogy featuring an endearing cast of characters you'll grow to love from page 1. Combined with witty dialogue, comical yet true-to-life situations and Trish's characteristic sense of humor, this book is the perfect bookend to the "beach" series begun by Sally John as well as Trish's own books. If you love romantic comedy, you're going to love this one!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trish Perry is an award-winning writer of The Guy I'm Not Dating and Too Good to Be True. She served for seven yeras as the editor of Ink and the Spirit, a quarterly newsletter of the Capital Christian Writers organization in the Washington DC area. She has published numerous short stories, essays, devotionals, and poetry in Christian and general market media, and she is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group. She discovered her love of writing while earning a degree in Psychology. She switched career paths in 1997 and never looked back. Her debut novel placed second in the 2007 FHL Inspirational Readers' Choice Contest, and her second novel is a current finalist in the 2008 FHL IRCC.

Trish lives in Northern Virginia with her hilarious teenaged son, and has a gorgeous adult daughter and an amazing grandson. You can learn more about Trish at her website, http://www.trishperry.com/.

BEACH DREAMS
by Trish Perry
Published by Harvest House Publishers

ABOUT THE BOOK

Following up on Sally John's bestselling Beach House series (The Beach House and Castles in the Sand-nearly 45,000 in combined sales) is a brand-new Beach House book from veteran Harvest House novelist Trish Perry.

Tiffany LeBoeuf has a problem. She has lost her job, her mother has recently passed away, and she has zero social life. And then she meets Jeremy. But Tiff is a new Christian and knows she shouldn't be attracted to this unbelieving (but charming!) Brit. And then there's Eve. . . Jeremy's girlfriend. When Tiff reserves a cozy beach house in San Diego for a much-needed retreat, a mix-up causes a double-booking, and Tiff ends up sharing the beach house with Eve. When Jeremy arrives to surprise Eve, he surprises Tiff as well. As Jeremy settles in at the house next door, events and secrets unravel that surprise everyone.

A fun, contemporary romance about how God uses even our mistakes to bring about His divine purposes. Beach Dreams is the perfect get-away read.

Buy Your Copy of Beach Dreams Today!

Read an Excerpt

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this book?

My two lead characters, Tiff and Jeremy, have been kicking around with me for a few years, and my editor and I were dying to give them their own story. They were fun secondary characters in The Guy I'm Not Dating and Too Good to Be True. Jeremy is such a misguided sweety and Tiff has been the gal you love to hate for two novels now. So I thought it would be entertaining to throw them together and see what happened. The setting, San Diego, came along with the contract, as Beach Dreams is the third in The Beach House series, created by Sally John. So, although I originally planned for Tiff and Jeremy’s story to take place in the Washington, D.C. area, I sent them to the other side of the country. The circumstances of that trip made for some fun plot points!

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that are theirs and theirs alone?

There isn't a way to say this without making myself sound awful, but I hatch most of my characters' weaknesses out of my own experiences. Tiff's selfish nature, Jeremy's misjudgement about the motives of others, both of their struggles with giving control over to God, that kind of thing. And my characters have experiences such as living with an alcoholic, losing a loved one, going through breakups, and learning to love again that bear the markings of my own experiences. And then there's the gift of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time—they get that from me.

3. What themes exist in Beach Dreams that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Last year at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference, Robin Jones Gunn talked about the fact that every Christian writer will eventually notice an overriding theme to her body of work. She said to watch for that, because that's the main message the Lord has put on your heart to share with others. I've discovered that the idea of leaning on God's guidance, above all else, is my overriding theme. So I think that's the part of me that eventually flavored my characters and influenced my plot line for Beach Dreams. Tiff can be selfish and manipulative because she forgets to seek His guidance. Jeremy makes all kinds of misjudgements about the motivations of others, because he's slow in trusting God’s guidance. Fortunately for me as a writer, some of these failings can lead to situations that are humorous to those not actually having to experience them!

4. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I can't really say any of it was difficult (other than a very short deadline). But there is a scene between Tiff and her father (no spoilers here), for which I had to step away from the computer and completely immerse myself into Tiff's frame of mind, as if what was happening to her was actually happening to me. Until I did that, I wasn't aware of how she was going to react to him. But when I "became" the character, I broke down in tears and knew exactly how she would react. I have to say I loved how moving the experience was!

My favorite parts to write are the humorous moments of dialogue, especially between the hero and heroine or the heroine and her closest friends. My favorite parts of life are the humorous moments of dialogue too!

5. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

To date, I'm not sure which book will come out next. I'm talking with Harvest House about an idea I put together last week for a summer 2009 release, but I can't share anything about that yet. And I'm also working on a romantic comedy set in Washington, D.C., but I'm not sure about the status of that project, with regard to publication. I'm in a holding pattern at the moment, and since Beach Dreams just released two weeks ago, I'm giving it my focus right now. As soon as I know something definite about the next book, I'll be sure to post it on my blog at http://www.trishperry.com/ As always, I'm eager to jump into the next story!

CONTEST

In addition to a book giveaway, you can participate in a special contest related to Beach Dreams (prize: a beach bag filled with a few goodies) by posting a response to the following prompt: How has God used a mistake you made - big or small - for his purposes?

The example may be serious or funny, complex or simple, and you may or may not have realized he was even using it at the time it occurred. All entries must be received by 5pm CST on August 22. Trish will judge the entries and declare her favorite.

So, come on and play. Post your comment on this blog entry and Trish will include it with the others she'll be reading to select her favorite. You never know. It could be you!

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Thank you, Trish, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of Beach Dreams.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada only.

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Here is a link to the other bloggers participating in this tour. If you have more than one story to share, feel free to post on other bloggers' entries for more chances to win. Good luck!

http://blogtourspot.com/perry-blog-tour/perry-blog-tour-stops

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