Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway with Ros Clarke
Ros is a writer, a student, a church worker, a crafter, a blogger, a twitterer, a lazy gardener, and an appalling housekeeper. She lives in a sixteenth century shed in England and is very glad that it has twenty-first century plumbing. She is interested in almost everything except cricket and football (US and UK) and mostly she likes happy endings in fiction and in real life. Ros has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, never dreaming that other people would be interested in reading them. A few years ago, she discovered a writing forum on the internet, and has never looked back. Her head—and her hard drive—are full of ideas for fresh, fun, contemporary romances that she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.
Hi, Ros! Thank you so much for stopping by Nite Lite today and letting us interview you. Let’s start off with a brief intro. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and when you started writing?
Thanks for having me! I’ve always written stories, but for most of my life I never dreamed that anyone else would be interested in reading what I’d written. I’m a PhD student at the moment so writing romance is what I do for fun in my spare time.
Have you always written romance or books with a romantic element to them?
Yes, I think so. I read a lot of detective fiction but I know I don’t have the kind of mind you need for that sort of plotting. I’m much more interested in writing about people and their relationships. And I love a happy ending.
You did some self-publishing before and now you’ve signed with Entangled Publishing, which is awesome so congrats. What do you think are the main differences between self publishing and having a a publishing deal?
Editing! I know some self-publishers pay professional editors but I didn’t have any spare cash to spend on that. My self-published books have been through two or three rewrites based on feedback from my writing group and other test readers, but nothing like the kind of editing that my Entangled stories have been through. The other huge difference with Entangled is the support they give authors with publicity. I do enjoy having the freedom and the control of self-publishing, but there’s no question in my mind that the weight of a publishing company behind an author makes a huge difference. I’m really happy to be with Entangled.
Your new book, Table For One, is about a food critic who ends up alone at a restaurant on Valentine’s Day and finds herself tempted by the restaurant’s chef. What inspired you to write this particular story? Did you or someone you know end up alone of Valentine’s Day or is this just something that you made up?
The Valentine’s Day setting is one that I made up, but I knew I wanted to write a story about food. I love eating! And I enjoy cooking, too. I think there’s something incredible sensual and emotional about food, so I wanted to use that to convey the romance in this story.
Tell us a little bit about the two main characters in Table For One.
Ward is an instinctive chef. He’s always known what to cook for someone according to their mood, so when he meets Claudia he sets out to create a menu for seduction. But Ward’s also someone with a very specific insecurity – which Claudia inadvertently cracks wide open. He’s the one who has to learn to let go and learn to trust. Oh, and did I mention, he’s the Seventh Sexiest Man in London? Claudia’s a restaurant critic, which is the perfect job for someone who loves eating but can’t cook. She knows what she likes, or thinks she does…
Did you have to do any restaurant research to write this book? (meaning did you go eat at a lot of yummy restaurants while you were writing this book and count it as research – because it totally counts).
I wish! Sadly my research budget didn’t stretch to lots of expensive restaurant meals. Instead I did a lot of googling and drooling.
What would you order for your last meal?
Great question! To be honest, the answer probably changes every day as I discover new favourite foods. I’d definitely have yorkshire puddings, probably with rare roast beef, roast potatoes and no green vegetables (because what’s the point of being healthy if it’s your last meal?) And then something chocolately and gooey and utterly decadent for dessert.
What’s the strangest food you’ve ever eaten? Any food that you would never eat? (I would list some of mine but I’ve eaten a lot of strange foods)
I haven’t eaten all that many strange foods, though I do like trying new things. I’ve eaten and enjoyed snails. Is that strange? There’s nothing that I wouldn’t eat on principle, if it looked tasty. I’m allergic to mussels, which is sad because I do love them.
OK now we’re going to play the OR game where we throw two things at you and you let us know which you like better (and why if you’re inclined). We may also throw in some short questions at the end.
Vampire Diaries or True Blood?
Never read either, I’m afraid.
Chocolate or peanut butter?
Chocolate but it’s a close-run things.
Historical romance or paranormal romance?
Historical. I started reading romances when I discovered Georgette Heyer and I still love that genre best.
Burger with cheese or without?
With, but only if it’s really good cheese.
Night owl or early bird?
Night owl.
Cake or pie and what kind?
Cake. Um, chocolate fudge.
Last book read?
Mary Jo Putney’s Thunder and Roses. It has penguins!
Favorite movie?
Lady Jane.
You live in the UK. What are some of your favorite UK snacks/candies that the rest of the world should be jealous of? Any snacks from the US or other places that you wish you could get in the UK but can’t?
UK snacks: Proper fish and chips. Maltesers. Rhubarb and custard (these are boiled sweets). UK biscuits (cookies), especially Hobnobs. (Note that I totally agree with the fish and chips, and biscuits. So good.)
I lived in the US for a couple of years. I don’t miss very much from there but I do miss cheese popcorn. Weird, I know.
One last thing – what’s next for you/what are you currently working on?
I’m working on an Indulgence title for Entangled. It’s their category romance line and my book features an oil tycoon and a sheikh. And lots of lovely angst and sexy banter. It’ll be coming out in a few months.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Ros. We can’t wait to read your new book and wish you all the best!
Thank you, it’s been fun!
And now for a GIVEAWAY! One lucky person will win an ebook copy of Table For One. This is an international giveaway as well, so good luck to everyone!
About the book
Table For One is a short, contemporary romance from Entangled Publishing’s exciting new Flirts line.
When food critic Claudia Thomas gets dumped on Valentine’s Day, she finds herself occupying a table for one at London’s hottest new restaurant. If her job wasn’t on the line, she’d skip the whole affair, but her editor’s waiting for a review—and with luck, an interview with sexy chef Ward Nicholls.
Ward, intrigued by the single woman in a restaurant full of couples, sets out to tease her palate. Claudia has never tasted anything so luscious as the special meal Ward prepares for her, but when the seduction moves from the restaurant to his bedroom, Claudia discovers the only thing more tempting than his food is the chef himself.
Their connection is instantaneous, sizzling, and spicy—until Claudia comes clean about her job, reopening a wound Ward had thought long-healed. Could one accidental lie of omission end a delicious relationship before it even has a chance to start?
More details and an excerpt are available here.
Buy it at Amazon (US), B&N, Amazon (UK)
You can also find Ros on twitter, at Goodreads, and at her own blog.