SANDWICH, WITH A SIDE OF ROMANCE - Krista Phillips - One Free Book

Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I love to sprinkle little bits of me into my characters! In Sandwich, Maddie, my heroine, is probably the character who is least like me. She comes from a super hard past and is a brand new Christian still trying to figure out the whole God thing, whereas I've been a Christian since I was a little girl and was raised in a church-every-Sunday home. It was a stretch for me to get outside of my little comfort zone and get into a character so opposite. Still, she has a bit of spunk, and I like to think I possess a bit of that as well!

If anything, supporting character Allie is most like me. She's a mom and loves a good garage sale!

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I can only name one??? Oh my! Well, not sure if this is the quirkiEST thing, but it rates up there. Previously, I held a day job as Payroll Manager for a large national company in their Corporate office. A fairly professional job. Most other managers at Corporate had their offices all professional with neat picture frames and Pottery-Barn type decor.

Me? I decorated with some super cool Happy Meal toys I stole from my kids. Only the cool ones, mind you. There was the penguin that shot little arrow things when you pressed its head, or the Hippo that says, "I know I'm every hippos dream" (which was super funny to press as someone was leaving my office, making them be like, WHAT?), or the plastic Shrek doll that says, "I'm an ogre."

It brought a lot of laughter and giggles to those who visited my office. Who says you can't have a little fun at work, right?!?

I used to keep fun water/bubble things that you turn over and watch on my desk at one place I worked. It was in a very conservative Christian company. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I started writing for fun right out of high school. But then I got married, started a family, and my dream got swept aside.

But in 2007, God brought this fun package to me in the mail. Well, actually, it was to the previous owner of the house we'd just purchased. He happened to be an author, and the package? His edits for his debut novel with Zondervan!

I returned the FedEx package, but God used that misguided mail to ignite a flame in my belly for writing. Three months later, I typed "The End" on my first novel.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Confession: I'm a Christian Fiction (specifically romance) snob. Historical or contemporary, doesn't matter. As a mother of four, life gets to be a bit crazy at times, so reading is what I do to unwind and "get away" from the madness. And Christian romance allows me to do that, and gives me that sigh-worthy ending I'm looking for!

That said, I'm working on spreading my wings and reading something outside my normal reading zone at least a few times a year.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Oh, that is easy. I don't. Sanity is totally overrated. If that was a requirement for life, I'd have gone to be with Jesus long ago!

I've always been a working mother, which is difficult enough. But in 2010, baby # 4 was born, Annabelle, and that's when my meager grip on sanity fizzled. Annabelle was born with a rare congenital heart defect, where she basically only had half of a functioning heart, as well as some deformed heart valves. She spent the first 10 months of life in the hospital, and ended up having a heart transplant at 8 months old.

During that time, not only did I live at the hospital, I also continued to work until the very end, as I was the "bread-winner" for our family at the time. And not only that, I also received my contract for Sandwich, with a Side of Romance just a few weeks after we brought Annabelle home.

I learned through the process that surviving took trusting Jesus on a daily basis. To choose each morning when I woke up, to give the day to Him and trust Him to bring me through. While my sanity might be questionable, my Jesus is NOT! He's rock solid and ALWAYS there for me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Every name is chosen in a different method. Maddie was chosen by my eleven-year-old daughter. Reuben was my hubby's idea. When I'm stuck, I search the web for baby name websites. They're great because you can search by gender, first letter, and ethnicity.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Giving birth to four of the most wonderful, beautiful daughters a Momma could ever ask for.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A rabbit... because they're FAST, which is totally me. My sweet Southern... slow.... husband would then be the turtle! He slows me down a bit, and I help speed him up some. It works for us!

What is your favorite food?

A good juicy steak. Cooked medium. YUM.

I think I’ll join you for that steak. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Finding time to do it. I'm a busy Momma, especially with a special needs child in the house now who requires some extra attention, multiple therapies, and more doctor's appointments than you would believe.

I overcome it by catching little bits of time when I can. When my husband is home, I march myself to Starbucks and get a few hours in. I also take full advantage of nap time! My goal is to get on a good schedule, but I'll be honest. I'm not quite there yet!

Tell us about the featured book.

She moved to Sandwich, Illinois, in search of a new life, but ended up in a giant pickle.

Sandwich represents hope for twenty-year-old Maddie Buckner and Kyle, the eleven-year-old brother Maddie wants to spring out of foster care. Then she loses her new job after less than an hour on the clock. It’s all Reuben-the-Jerk’s fault, and she’s determined to make him right the wrong. 

He does so, reluctantly, by giving her a job at his restaurant, The Sandwich Emporium. Then crazy things start happening at the restaurant, and Kyle’s foster parents apply to adopt him. To stop it all, Maddie must learn the art of humbling herself and accepting the help God has arranged, risking her heart to Reuben in the process.

And she’d rather eat a million corned-beef on rye sandwiches than do that.

Please give us the first page of the book.

God, is it against the rules to want to strangle one’s boss?

            Even though she was still very new to the whole Christian thing, six months yesterday to be exact, Maddie Buckner was fairly sure that thoughts of murder, even in jest, wouldn’t be condoned by the Almighty.

            Maddie bit the side of her cheek to keep from saying something not-quite-Christian as she swept the broom across the salon floor for the fifteen-billionth time. She hadn’t driven an

hour from Chicago with nothing but her clothes and a few hundred bucks to end up as a janitor.

            But it seemed on her first day at the Sandwich Cut N’ Style, that was all her new boss would to let her do considering it was already afternoon and she’d yet to cut a single strand of hair.

            She was supposed to be given walk-ins, but her boss refused her the few they’d even had, saying they were too “important” to risk on a newbie.

            “You still missed some, Madison.” Karen, her Nazi-of-a-boss crossed thick arms over her ample chest and nodded toward two short brown specks in the corner. “And when you’re done,

the waiting area needs straightening up. I’m running to Art’s, and I expect it done by the time I get back. Got it?”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers!

Blog: www.kristaphillips.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorkristaphillips

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kristaphillips

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/kristaphillips

Thank you, Krista, for letting us into your life and sharing your new book with us.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Sandwich, With a Side of Romance


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com