Welcome, Candice. Why
do you write the kind of books you do?
My calling to write Christian Fiction came when I was around
sixteen years old. That summer, I went through an entire shelf of Janette Oke
books from my local library. I loved her characters and the lessons I learned
from them. I loved that they were “clean,” and I didn’t have to worry about
coming across bad language or inappropriate scenes. Though my desire to write
books came long before I’d turned sixteen, I knew then that’s what I wanted to
“grow up and write.”
In 2011, I was introduced to Denise Hunter’s and Colleen
Coble’s books when my mother-in-law recommended them. Once again, I was struck
anew at the deep characterization and engaging plots, while the content
remained clean. From that point on, I had no doubt that Christian Fiction is
what God wanted me to write.
Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
I’d say it’s a toss-up between the day I got married and the
day each of my kids were born. They were all special days that started special
journeys I’m blessed to be a part of.
How has being
published changed your life?
Publication has been an amazing blessing in many ways. I’m
grateful for the opportunity to live my dream, and it gives me a platform to be
a witness I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I love connecting with readers and
meeting new people. Writing is also therapeutic for me, so it helps me process
things at times.
What are you reading
right now?
I’m close to finishing The
Love Letter by Rachel Hauck. Next on my list is With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander. I’m eagerly awaiting Sweet On You by Becky Wade, which should
arrive sometime this month. I try to read a good balance of contemporary and
historical. I rarely venture from the romance genre though.
What is your current
work in progress?
My current work in progress is a new contemporary series set
in South Dakota
that revolves around a reality television show where eight women from the city
compete in farm challenges in hopes of becoming the farmer’s wife. It’s best
described as The Bachelor meets Survivor. There’s a lot of humor, which makes
it fun, and plenty of conflict to keep it interesting. Of course, there’s
romance. And a few twists to keep readers on their toes. This series has not
been contracted yet and is looking for a good home.
I would feature them
on my blog when they are published. What would be your dream vacation?
Stateside, my dream vacation would be spending a month in Maine, taking my time
exploring, relaxing, and soaking up the atmosphere. Otherwise, I’ve always
dreamed of seeing Ireland.
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
I’m a detail-oriented writer, so for me the setting is like
a main character. I want the reader to experience the setting, as if they’re
actually there, so I’m always careful to add in sites, sounds, and “local
flavor”. When it comes to choosing a setting, it’s half-and-half for
me—sometimes I choose the setting first and create a story to fit into that
world, and sometimes I choose a setting that fits into the characters’ needs.
If you could spend an
evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
This is a tough question. I’d like to spend an evening with
Olivia de Havilland, Melanie from Gone
With the Wind. I’d love to hear her stories about what happened on set and
get her views on the world and how much it has changed in the 102 years she’s
been alive.
What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I enjoy hobby-farming. We have chickens that are so spoiled
they follow me around the yard like dogs. A year ago, I dove into the world of
beekeeping after extensive research for my novel How to Charm a Beekeeper’s Heart. I became so fascinated with
honeybees I wanted a hive of my own. This summer will be our first opportunity
to rob the honey, and I’m looking forward to that. I learned quickly, however,
researching bees and having a live hive are two completely different things. We
plan to add some more animals to our hobby-farming collection soon for pure
enjoyment.
What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
As strange as this sounds, I struggle the most with condensing
an entire story to the bare bones when writing a synopsis and tagline. I took a
class taught by Camy Tang a few years ago that helped a lot. Her book Story Sensei Synopsis Worksheet: Doctor
Your Own Novel was included in the class. I refer to her method every time I
write a synopsis now. It still takes awhile to get my brain in the mindset of
stripping the story, but her method definitely helps me do that.
Writing synopses is
my hardest part, too. What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Read as much as you can and learn as much as you can. Simply
reading a novel and paying attention to story structure and characterization
help to cement the process in your mind. Plus, it’s fun to see each author’s
spin, even though they’re all following the same basic process. Read books on
the craft of writing as well. There’s a ton of knowledge out there. Lastly,
write. Unfortunately, times of discouragement and rejection are part of the
process, but even Dr. Suess was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before he
received a contract, so DON’T GIVE UP!
Tell us about the
featured book.
Certified mental health therapist Olivia Hudson has spiraled
into a dark depression her own training can't pull her out of. Since Olivia
can't return to her practice when she can't even help herself, she moves to Stone Harbor, Maine,
to heal and help her dementia-ridden grandmother run her once-famous bakery.
Blake Hartford is living his dream of farming blueberries and restoring a
Victorian farmhouse on his coastal property, while his beloved community
withers away under a rocky economy. Blake joins the town board to help revamp
things and boost the much-needed tourism that can turn his community
around.
After a misunderstanding with the bakery owner's granddaughter and the town
board's suggestion they lead the tourism project together, life in Stone Harbor
gets a little bit sweeter. But when the truth of Olivia's past comes to light,
Blake is forced to confront his own.
How
to Stir a Baker's Heart is a story of healing and forgiveness, proving
God can mend our brokenness and soften even the hardest of hearts.
How to Stir a Baker’s Heart was inspired after a trip to Maine for our ten-year
anniversary. This was my first attempt at writing a full-length novel. I worked
on it for a couple of years and entered it into a few writing contests. It was
an ACFW Genesis semi-finalist in 2013 (then titled Stone Hearts). When other publishing opportunities came along, I
put it aside for several years. After How
to Charm a Beekeeper’s Heart released in 2016, I decided to pull this story
out and make it book two in the series. Both novels were written to be standalone,
but readers of book one will get a glimpse old friends in How to Stir a Baker’s Heart.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
For Olivia Hudson, starting over was like trying to bake an
award-winning pie out of olives and sauerkraut. No matter what ingredients she
added to balance the flavors or how she arranged them, it wouldn’t work. Life
was not a beach or a box of chocolates. Though chocolate did help.
The delectable, fudgy scent of her triple layer chocolate
cake stirred Olivia’s senses as she stretched across the bakery counter and
placed a fresh slice in front of her favorite customer. In the four months
Olivia had lived in Stone Harbor,
Maine, she’d formed an attachment
to Arianne Anderson. The sugar-craving bridal boutique owner had an honest,
down-to-earth personality Olivia found refreshing.
“Thanks.” Arianne lifted her fork as though it weighed a
hundred pounds.
“Vanilla latte?” Olivia picked up a disposable cup and
started the process, already knowing Arianne’s answer.
“With a shot of espresso.”
“Wow, someone’s had a rough day.”
Arianne stared at the thick brown frosting in a daze,
sighed, and swallowed her first bite. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and her
shoulders relaxed.
Olivia chuckled. All would be well in Arianne’s world now—at
least until the plate was empty.
“It’s hot.” Olivia placed the latte in front of her friend
then leaned her elbows on the counter and clasped her hands, her lower back
grateful for the reprieve. “What’s got you down?”
Arianne’s dark blue eyes pooled with tears. She swallowed
and tucked a strand of curly blonde hair behind her ear. “I….” Arianne glanced
down at the cake. “I’m cheating on my husband.”
Olivia straightened.
A tear dropped onto the granite countertop. Arianne swiped
away the dampness on her cheeks and sighed. “Two evenings a week for the past
three months, I’ve had things to catch up on at work,”—she made air quotes over
the last word—“when really I’ve been driving twenty miles to escape my husband
and indulge in the sinful ecstasy of your baking.”
The tight band around Olivia’s throat eased. “There isn’t
another man?”
Arianne shook her head. “No. But the way I lust after this
cake when I’m with Huck is adultery.”
Relief almost swept Olivia’s legs out from under her. She
threw a wadded napkin at her friend, satisfied when it made contact with
Arianne’s nose. “You scared me.”
More tears. Now that Arianne’s faucet was running, there was
no turning it off.
Olivia checked the time on the tea-stained clock with a
cupcake from an old Victorian postcard decoupaged to the face. Close enough.
She locked the front door and flipped the sign to Closed. “What’s got you
running?”
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Readers can also connect with me on my website at
www.candicesuepatterson.com. Here
they can find a list of my books, promotional materials, and contact me via email.
I can also be found on Pinterest (Candice Sue Patterson),
where I make pages for each book and pin the images that inspired me.
Goodreads is another great place to connect. No matter where
they choose to find me, I LOVE chatting with readers.
Thank you for having me on your blog today.
It’s my pleasure,
Candice. I’m eager to read this book.
Readers, here are links to the book.
How to Stir a Baker's Heart - Christianbook.com
How to Stir a Baker's Heart
- Amazon Paperback
How to Stir a Baker's Heart - Kindle
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