I am super pumped to have author Brandy Bruce back on the blog today. She’s visited here before, and though we’ve never met in person, just from our email interactions I have a feeling in real life we’d be good friends. Maybe because in this interview she mentions a pop addiction and Chris Hemsworth…two topics I feel, ahem, rather strongly about.
Brandy’s fourth book, Recipe for Love, released just days ago, and she’s giving away a copy at the end of today’s interview. Woohoo! So check out the Q&A and be sure to enter the giveaway.
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Melissa: Okay before we talk about your newest book, I would love to ask you about your experiences as an editor. You’ve been an editor for quite a few years at a traditional publisher, right? So I wanted to ask, is it hard at all as you write your own books to turn off your internal editor? How does your “day job” impact your writing career?
Brandy: I love being an developmental editor. And since I edit mostly non-fiction, it hasn’t been so hard for me to turn off that internal editor when it comes to writing. I rely a lot on the wisdom of my fiction editor and I think she does a tremendous job. What helps is knowing and understanding her role—I think because of that, I hold my text a lot more loosely than some authors. I trust her and I want to know her opinion.
Now when it comes to copyediting, I can’t really turn that off and she wouldn’t want me to! 🙂 I’m conscious of how many –ly words I’m using or where commas are going.
Melissa: I read the premise for your upcoming book, Recipe for Love, on Amazon and instantly got excited because it features a heroine who is trying to keep her B&B dream alive. My last book had a similar angle. What inspired that angle of the story? Do you like staying in B&Bs yourself?
Brandy: I love B&Bs! I don’t get to stay in them very often since I have two children (and one on the way!) and they tend to be loud and really need the Disney Channel wherever we go.
All three of my books in this series have food themes and I wanted to find a way to incorporate more food ideas without redoing the idea of a restaurant again. So I went with a B&B. Plus, I wanted to take my hero out of his usual surroundings (as a chef in a big-city restaurant).
Melissa: Okay now let’s talk about Recipe for Love…what’s the basic premise?
Brandy: My hero is feeling burned out and goes to a B&B for some rest and relaxation. There he meets the single mom proprietor and sparks fly! There are some emotional issues they both need to deal with and there’s the question of dealing with change and the fear that can come with that.
Melissa: How did you get started writing romance? Was this always your genre of choice?
Brandy: Oh yes. I love romance. There’s something about a good love story that just feels so heart-warming and satisfying. And love is something we all want, so it’s a relatable topic.
Melissa: Hollywood has decided to make a movie about your new book! Who do you cast in the main roles? And is there a song you just HAVE to include in the soundtrack?
Brandy: Hm. Great question. I think I’d like Chris Hemsworth to play Jeremy. And maybe Scarlett Johannsen to play Alison. And for a song, Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran.
Melissa: I hugely applaud your choice of Chris Hemsworth. Because…well…Chris Hemsworth! Finally, just for fun, what are three little-known facts about you?
Brandy: Hm. I get bangs cut usually once a year and almost always regret that decision. I’m sort of obsessed with the Food Network but I don’t cook very much. And I have an addiction to Diet Dr Pepper that’s been going on since high school. 🙂
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Brandy Bruce is a mom, wife, writer, and editor. She’s also someone who really loves dessert. Brandy’s worked in book publishing as a nonfiction editor for more than 10 years, and she’s the author of four novels. She and her husband make their home in Colorado with their two children. You can visit her online at brandybruce.blogspot.com.
Giveaway Time
Enter to win a copy of Brandy’s new book!
Comments 17
While I love an occasional Pepsi or Dr Pepper, I prefer good old fashioned water – preferably filtered. In fact I drink so much H2O that my doctor makes me drink at least 16-20 oz of Powerade or Gatorade each day because I’ve been known to flush all the “good stuff” (I.e. vitamins, sodium, etc) out of my system reeking havoc with my health! And I wish they’d create some kind of flavorless powder I could add to my water so I can just drink water and not kool-aid flavored drinks all the time!
Author
Oh my goodness, I can’t even imagine drinking so much what that a doctor would get concerned. LOL! My drinks of choice are black coffee and Diet Coke with Lime. BUT I am trying hard to drink water. My parents gave me a new water bottle…it’s my incentive. 🙂
I’m not a soda drinker. I probably drink about one a month, if that often. I’m mainly a water drinker, though I’m addicted to breakfast smoothies and my “guilty pleasure” is really good hot chocolate. If you ever watch me make it, I put about double of the suggested powder in. It’s so good! I just buy the mix in cans, because those packets are completely wasted on me. 🙂
Oh, and I just watched Thor for the first time yesterday, so I finally get the Chris Hemsworth thing. 🙂
Author
THOR! Yay I’m so glad you’ve been introduced to the wonderfulness that is C-Hems.
Looove hot chocolate. I should cut down to one pop a month…I could save so much money that way. I’m just not sure I could handle the deprivation!
I’m a sucker for hot chocolate too! Love it.
I’m so excited to read this latest one from Bandy! I haven’t ever stayed at a B&B, but I think it would be fun! However like your children Brandy, my son needs his PBS Kids! Haha! Great interview! 😀
Author
Now I’m trying to think if I’ve ever stayed at a real B&B…I don’t really think I have…?
Wait, untrue! I’ve stayed at one for a writing retreat. In Florida. But other than that…
I will occasionally drink a Pepsi, but mostly I drink either sweet iced tea or water. This was a wonderful interview. Thank you for sharing and look forward to reading Brandy’s books.
Author
Once I had sweet iced tea down south somewhere and I was thinking it’d be, oh, a little sweet. But oh. my goodness. They aren’t joking around when they do “sweet” down south! LOL!
I haven’t read any of Brandys books but I would love to.
Author
I’m excited to read this one. It sounds like a great story!
What a sweet interview! 🙂
Brandy, how did you get your book to become a movie? So exciting! When is it available to the public? Would love to hear your story! 🙂
And would LOVE to win a copy of your book!
Ha! That would be awesome, Alexis! But Melissa was just kidding about the movie. I do think it’s awesome that many Christan novels are turning into movies. I watched the When Calls the Heart series on Hallmark, based on Janette Oke’s books, and I loved it!
Author
Haha, oh yes, it was just a joke about the movie…probably I should’ve worded that better. BUT how cool would it be to have it turn into a movie? I wonder if you’d actually get to meet C-Hems if that was the case…?? 🙂
Great interview! And the story sounds interesting. Can’t wait to read it 🙂
Author
In the same boat here–can’t wait to read Brandy’s latest.