Aloha to Macy Beckett and SULTRY WITH A TWIST

I just finished Macy Beckett's SULTRY WITH A TWIST.  It is    a fun read and I was curious about the author behind this story.  From her website, I learned she grew up globe trotting in an Air Force family!  Naturally I invited her for a cozy chat ... 

Kim:  We love military families here at SOS Aloha! What were the challenges and rewards of growing up everywhere and graduating from Munich?

Macy:  I absolutely loved growing up “on base” and moving to a new state every few years. Yes, I missed my friends, but the thrill of discovery was appealing to me. And Munich…[dreamy sigh]…I created so many magical memories there. My very first date—and my first kiss—was at the Oktoberfest. How cool is that?

As for challenges, I do find that my nomadic lifestyle has made it harder to form deep friendships. Most people in my area still hang out with the same folks they knew in high school, but my besties are scattered all over the globe. Luckily, my career as an author has brought new friends into my life. 

Munich (Wikipedia)

Kim:  From the eleven different states you have called home, can you share a favorite sight, sound, and smell? 

Macy:  Oh, I like this question!

Favorite sight: (Texas): fields of bluebells growing wild alongside the road

Favorite sound (North Carolina): gentle quail calls

Favorite smell (Bavaria): freshly-baked pretzels 

The pretzel is the centerpiece of the Baker Guild (Wikipedia)

Kim:  Who or what helped you along the path to publishing?

Macy:  Bestselling authors Lori Foster and Carly Phillips have been SO incredibly good to me. They’ve not only endorsed Sultry with a Twist, but they’ve helped spread the word among their readers and offered advice and support when I needed it. They’re both remarkable ladies, and I’m thankful to them. 

SULTRY WITH A TWIST begins in Austen (Wikipedia)

Kim:  Tell us about SULTRY WITH A TWIST - what inspired it? 

Macy:  Sultry with a Twist is the story of June Augustine, a bar owner who’s forced to return to her tiny Texas hometown for a month of community service…under the supervision of her first love and ex-best friend, the sexy Luke Gallagher.

I’ve always enjoyed light-hearted contemporary romances and had toyed with the idea of writing one, but never felt inspired by the right idea. Then one day in the shower, June and Luke’s characters appeared to me while I was washing my hair. I saw the progression of their entire relationship, starting as children, and from there, I built the plot around them. I spent nearly a year brainstorming and jotting down ideas while revising another project, and by the time I was finally ready to write June and Luke’s story, they were completely real to me. 

I don't have an image of Six Flags over Texas, so
I give you Seven flags over Pearl Harbor.

Kim:  What's next for Macy Beckett? 

Macy:  Trey’s story is next! “A Shot of Sultry” (at this link) releases in March and pairs Trey with Luke’s long-lost little sister, the saucy Bobbi Gallagher. Those two were so much fun to write. (I’m going to start posting sneak peeks on my Facebook page, so feel free to “like” me over there at this link.) Then the third book in the series, “Surrender to Sultry” releases in August, 2013. That one’s another second-chance-at-love story, between the county sheriff, Colton Bea, and the preacher’s daughter, Leah McMahon. I just finished writing it, and those two are HOT, HOT, HOT together. Whew!

I also have a young adult sci-fi series coming in February, 2014 from Disney Hyperion. In a nutshell, it’s about a high school valedictorian who falls for her alluring interplanetary exchange student…who’s not as innocuous as he pretends to be. Readers can learn more about all my books—for adults and for teens—on my website, macybeckett.com. 

Thanks so much for having me on the blog today! A great big “Aloha” to everyone out there. I love hearing from readers, so please stay in touch. 

Mahalo, Macy, for visiting virtual Hawaii!  I am giving away a print copy of SULTRY WITH A TWIST to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Oktoberfest - have you enjoyed one in your community?  Or even make the trek to the original in Munich?  Oh, I have been to the original ... top secret!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 13, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 14.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii