NBTM + #Giveaway: Spooning Daisy by Maggie McConnell @GoddessFish

Spooning Daisy

by Maggie McConnell

GENRE:   contemporary romance (romantic comedy)

BLURB:

Her mango chutney is exquisite; her blueberry sauce to die for. But Chef de Cuisine Daisy Moon is a woman without a kitchen after a "bit of trouble" at her last job. Now blacklisted from Seattle to San Francisco, Daisy's sole job offer is from Wild Man Lodge in Otter Bite, Alaska, where the end of the road is just her beginning.

Excerpt:

His laugh was immediate. Daisy realized how ridiculous her allegation was. Max Kendall's particular brand of woman didn't need lies to motivate her into his bed. His women were fun and adventurous and, unlike Daisy, didn't have impossible expectations.

"I thought we were talking about you," he said with a dying chuckle. "But if you think you're helping the enemy..." With his good leg bearing the brunt of his weight, he rose from the bed. Grabbing the handles on his duffle bag, he slowly stepped toward the bathroom.

"If the lights were dim and the music soft and the wine expensive." 

Max turned at the door. "And?"

"And what?"

"I don't believe for one second that you, Daisy, would be undermined by lights, music, and wine."

"And… if I thought you were...special."

"And what makes a man special?"

Daisy hesitated at the fork in her road. She could give Max an honest answer or… "Well, for one thing, he's very forgiving--"

His eyes crinkled as his grin returned.

"--And he would never use all the hot water just to prove some ridiculous point."

"I guess I'm not the only one who has trouble giving a straight answer. See you when the water runs cold." The bathroom door clicked shut.

"And he makes me smile," Daisy murmured, smiling.   

Interview with Maggie McConnell

 
1. What inspired you to write Spooning Daisy?

The inspiration came from two places. The initial idea first came to me when I had a garage sale prior to moving from Alaska to Arizona. I’m inspired to write about Alaska because I lived and worked there (Anchorage) for over 23 years, and still visit. The fictional village of Otter Bite is inspired by the real village of Seldovia on the shores of Kachemak Bay where, for 20 years, I had a summer home.

2. Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in the Otter Bite series, and what you have planned for the future?

I’ve just finished Embracing Felicity, the second romcom in the series. Characters we met briefly in Spooning Daisy are the main characters and there are two side romances—one with a couple in their 60’s  and a first crush involving the hero’s 10-year-old daughter. And of course, as in Spooning Daisy, I’ve included some unusual animal characters.

My future plans include additional Otter Bite books, but I also want to write women’s fiction inspired by my Arizona ranch with lots of wonderful animal characters. I like romance, but there are “rules” and I like to write without rules.


3. Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Spooning Daisy?

Daisy is an open book whereas Max is private and reserved. Both have a personal history that makes them cautious and a little cynical when it comes to love, and neither is looking for marriage. Neither sees the other as his/her type so it’s a surprise when they feel an attraction. As one reviewer said, their behavior is “atypical” of most romance, which some readers might find refreshing. Another reviewer likened Max and Daisy’s “rapid fire” dialogue to Katharine Hepburn comedies. Supporting characters include psychologist Charity, Daisy’s best friend, and Rita who works at Wild Man Lodge and is Max’s friend. Both Charity and Rita play devil’s advocate and provide punch lines. And Max and Daisy each share their lives with an animal, but not the usual dog/cat. That’s all I’m saying about that.  


4. You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

Actually, I don’t have a favorite author—at least not like someone who might love Stephen King and have all his books and movies. J  But there are a few authors I will turn to when I’m stuck for a new book. Dana Stabenow writes a mystery series set in Alaska. Dorothy Cannell writes cozy mysteries set in England. I’ve read many of “The Cat Who…” books by Lilian Jackson Braun (who died in 2011 at 97 and completed 29 books after retiring from her newspaper career! It’s never too late to start something new.) I like Sandra Brown for her romance, but haven’t read any of her mainstream suspense. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, but haven’t read any other JK Rowling’s books. For nonfiction, I love Pam Grout, Wayne Dyer, and Kate Braestrup. And James Herriot still gives me warm and fuzzies with his memoirs as a veterinarian in Yorkshire.


5. If you could time-travel would you travel to the future or the past? Where would you like to go and why would you like to visit this particular time period?

The fun answer is travelling a few years into the future, looking up all the winning lottery numbers, coming back, buying tickets and sending them to friends, family, and animal charities!

But I’d also like to travel back to the mid 1920’s and get to know my parents when they were children. Born in 1919, my dad was raised on a farm in east Texas without electricity or running water. Yet he went on to become a pilot in the Air Force, earn his PhD, and work as diplomat in the US Foreign Service. As a result, I spent my childhood overseas. Born in 1922, my mom was raised in China, the oldest daughter of Christian missionaries. She became a teacher and then a university professor. I’d love to spend time in their childhoods.

6. Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

You’ve just hit my sweet spot!  As my bio states, I have two horses, a dog and cat; all were in need of a permanent home when I adopted them. I adopted Quinn, my Belgian/QH cross when he was 18 months; he’s now 15. He came from a Canadian Premarin farm, and was on his way to slaughter when he was saved by a Premarin rescue group, and trailered down to Arizona, which is where I found him. Teena, the sweetest personality ever, is a 19-year-old QH and I adopted her when she was 8; she’d had 5 homes before me. Once starved, she now eats everything and anything (even though I feed her!) so she tends to be a little chubby from browsing on my 36 acres. Molly (13) is a Queensland mix whom I adopted from the local shelter, and a few years back lost her right eye to melanoma. Sara (12) is a black cat whom I adopted when she was 8. Then I have all the wildlife that I treat as an extended family. From skunks to snakes, bunnies to cows, birds to chipmunks, I love them all. You can check out my critter videos on my Margaret McConnell Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/margaret.mcconnell.564  which is different from my Maggie McConnell author page.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with us today.

Thank you so much for this interview and allowing me to gush about my animals! And thank you for hosting Spooning Daisy. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Golden Heart nominee Maggie McConnell spent her childhood overseas as the daughter of US diplomats. Attending college in Illinois, she earned a BA in Art and an MBA while working at the local humane shelter. At 26, she packed her dog and cat into a Ford truck and drove the Alcan Highway to Alaska, where she spent 23 years exploring The Last Frontier in a single-engine Cessna. A vegan and animal rights advocate, Maggie provides a sanctuary on her Arizona ranch for all creatures great and small, but her immediate family includes dog Molly, cat Sara, horses Quinn and Teena, and an ever-growing dynasty of chipmunks. Every year, like the Gray Whale, Maggie returns to Alaska.

Website ~ Facebook Author Page

Buy Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

Giveaway:



Nordstrom "Daisy" vegan leather clutch

Nordstrom turtle pin 

Rebecca Minkoff star pendant/necklace 

 International winners will receive a $25 Amazon/BN GC

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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