Karin Tanabe spices things up...plus a book giveaway

***Giveaway is now closed***

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Karin Tanabe (tahn-ahh-bee) and I have some things in common. We're practically neighbors, as I live in the DC suburbs and she lives in the capitol itself. We also are personally connected with people who have worked for The Washington Post. Speaking of which, her debut novel, The List, was recently featured in the books section. It sounds like a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and Sammy's Hill. I know I definitely want to check it out, as I love novels that have their fingers on the pulse of Washington, DC.

Karin is a former Politico reporter whose writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Newsday, and The Washington Post. She has made frequent appearances as a celebrity and politics expert on television, including on Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, and CNN. She currently lives in Washington, DC and Dubai. This Vassar alum has a great sense of humor, as evident in the bio on her website. If you like what you see there, visit her on Facebook and Twitter.

She's here today to talk about writing and share her favorite recipe. (Since it's foodie month, we couldn't let her show up empty handed!) Thanks to Atria, we have THREE copies of The List for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada.

First let’s hear about this debut novel of yours. How did you come up with the idea for The List?
The idea for The List was born with the help of my agent Bridget Wagner Matzie. We were having dinner and I was telling her about my job as a reporter for Politico and we soon realized that the pace of new media tied in with power-obsessed Washington would make a great novel. Since I worked at a political paper in D.C., and so does my protagonist Adrienne Brown, everyone started using the words roman à clef as soon as news broke about the book. Some of Adrienne’s crazy experiences are based on my own, but my lips are sealed about which ones!

(Note from Melissa A: Matzie makes me think of Passover! Not too far away either...)

Have you had any writing mentors since you started writing?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some great editors since I started my career in journalism. Marylou Tousignant, who was at the Washington Post for decades and then worked with me at Politico, helped me understand that you can combine good reporting and a sharp tongue. But my lifelong mentor has definitely been my father. He spent almost 40 years as an editor at the Washington Post, the majority of that time with the book section, so you can only imagine how much he influenced me. His red pen has no mercy!

What’s the first thing you did when you found out your book was going to be published?
I was actually right in front of the indoor ski slope at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai! If I wasn’t such a bad skier, I might have flung myself down the hill in celebration, but instead I just stood outside and jumped up and down while shrieking.

Tell us about your process of landing an agent.
It was a little unconventional! When I was writing for The Huffington Post in 2008, my now-agent Bridget contacted me and said she liked my writing and asked if I was working on a book. That was the best email I’d ever received! I wasn’t working on anything at the time, but we brainstormed ideas together and she kindly stuck with me over the years while I tried to come up with the right project.

If you were to serve us a dish that you feel is a masterpiece of yours, what would it be? What is your most memorable experience making this recipe? Can you share the recipe with us?

Even though I was born and raised in Washington D.C. and Maryland, which barely counts as the South, I’m totally obsessed with Southern comfort food. Combine the words pot and pie and I’m in taste bud heaven. But what I like making the most is tailgating grub. This is particularly hilarious since I don’t understand anything about football except that the players look sensational in those super tight high-water pants. Every time I “watch” a game, I always make a recipe adapted slightly from Southern Living – wings drenched in hot sauce. My fiancé Craig played football for the University of Nebraska and I first made them for him when the University of Oklahoma was trampling Nebraska. He was pretty distraught but stopped caring about the score when he started eating. I also love them because they’re insanely easy to make. Happy cooking!

Spicy Chicken Wings

2 1/2 pounds chicken wing pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
Spicy Buffalo Sauce
Celery sticks

1. Sprinkle wings with salt and next 3 ingredients. Dredge in flour, shaking to remove excess.
2. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large deep skillet; heat to 350°. Fry wings, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Toss wings in Spicy Buffalo Sauce; serve immediately with ranch dressing and celery sticks.

Thanks to Karin for chatting with us and to Atria for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win The List:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.) 

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is the spiciest food item you've ever eaten?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends March 13th at midnight EST.