Linda Francis Lee "knows" what her readers want...plus a book giveaway

When I read Emily and Einstein a few years ago, I knew Linda Francis Lee had something special to contribute to chick lit. So I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Glass Kitchen, not only for the beautiful cover art, but also for a delicious sounding story about a woman with a special "gift" when it comes to cooking. I'm currently devouring this novel and it is as decadent and enjoyable as I was expecting. I love the whole concept of "the knowing" and even had an experience with it recently, but with books instead of food. Linda, herself, is a real treat to know. She's so friendly and she does lots of fun book giveaways at her Facebook page.

Linda Francis Lee is a native Texan now calling New York City home. Her writing career began when her article was published in her university’s quarterly magazine. But she got sidetracked from writing when she started teaching probability and statistics. Later she found her way back to writing, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution called her breakout novel, Blue Waltz, “absolutely stunning.” Currently, Linda is the author of twenty-one novels that are published in twenty countries around the world. Two of her most recent novels are in development for feature films.

When Linda isn’t writing, she loves to run in Central Park and spend time with her husband, family, and friends. She loves to hear from readers, so visit her at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have TWO copies of The Glass Kitchen for some lucky US readers! There's currently a sweepstakes going on until June 30th where you could also win this book...or the grand prize of a KitchenAid stand mixer.

What was your favorite thing about writing The Glass Kitchen?
I loved writing the Ariel scenes. When I plot a book I try to have a character that doesn't have to edit what he/she says. They get to say whatever comes into their brain. In Emily & Einstein, it was Einstein. With The Glass Kitchen, it was Ariel. There is something freeing about not thinking about "nice" or "sweet" or some heroic way of being when the character isn't a villain. Of course that takes set up so that the reader can still love the character despite them getting to say whatever they want. But with most protagonists a writer doesn't have that freedom.

Which authors or books have inspired you to become a writer yourself?
I think I was initially inspired to tell stories by seeing The Sound of Music for the first time. Actually, it was the first movie I ever saw; my grandmother took me to it. Kid's books hadn't brought such a gigantic world full-blown into my head in the way that the movie did. I was sucked in. It was after seeing the movie that I started making up stories in my head.

If The Glass Kitchen were made into a movie, who would play the lead characters and why?
That is so hard! I keep thinking different people. But I think for Gabriel and Portia, the intensity of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook. Her personality in Morning Glory. In looks, perhaps a bit of David Gandy for Gabriel?

What is the best thing about your kitchen?
The best thing is probably also the biggest challenge: the marble countertops. I adore them. I walk into the kitchen every morning and want to hug them. A friend told me that the litmus test to kitchen countertops is that you want to hug them every morning! As a result, I spent months searching for the perfect slab of marble. It drove the contractor crazy. But in the end, I found it. That being said, marble is not the hardest stone in the stone yard – so to speak. So it takes a lot of upkeep.

What meal or dish do you consider yourself "famous" for making?
When I was writing The Glass Kitchen, we were going to a lot of dinner parties. All our friends are great cooks. My first dinner party in NYC wasn't a gigantic success – at least food-wise – and our friends tease me about it to this day. So for the next party we hosted, I had something to prove. I spent a week preparing, then made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. To this day when we talk food and any of my meals, first comes the teasing about my strange chicken, followed up by my heavenly Beef Bourguignon. It came out really well – thankfully! (And I haven't made it since.) Second place, something I could make in my sleep, would be oatmeal cookies. I have been making them forever. My secret? I microwave the butter instead of just letting it soften. But I love a moist, chewy cookie.

What did you do for your last vacation and what is a favorite memory from that time?
Our last trip was to the Caribbean. Business for my husband, but we had enough time to ourselves that we turned it into a mini-vacation. The best part about it for me was that we had just finished the renovation of our apartment, and we had a room overlooking the ocean, and while he was in meetings during the day, I sat in the room at a desk facing the water and wrote. After nearly a year of being consumed by renovation, I could sit with nothing competing for my attention other than the characters in my head. Heaven.

Thanks to Linda for visiting with us and St. Martin's Press for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US only. Giveaway ends June 24th at midnight EST.