May 29, 2012

Interview with Tiger's Curse Author Colleen Houck

Anyone who loves a good romance will not want to miss Colleen Houck's Tiger's Curse series, especially now that the first book in the series is out in paperback!  What I love about these books is that they have a little bit everything: mystery, romance, folklore, and adventure.  To see my reviews of the first two books in the series that I wrote for Daisy Chain Book Reviews click HERE.

In celebration of the paperback release of Tiger's Curse I am posting an interview with Colleen Houck.  Also, after the interview there is a special treat - the recipe for Ren's favorite cookies!!

Happy Reading - Jen


What makes the paperback release different from the hardcover? 
The paperback release will bring in a whole other group of readers. I have several friends who prefer reading paperbacks over carrying around the heavier hardcovers and they're very excited to get their hands on this new version. There is also the chance to update the book and add bonus material which all my fans know I love to write. 

What are you most excited about with the paperback? 


I'm very excited to share Kelsey's recipes! I'm a foodie as most of you can tell from my books and I can say from experience that there's nothing better than sitting down with a new paperback and a hot batch of Ren's cookies. Light a sandalwood candle too and it's like you're in the story. 

Is there something you can tell us about Tiger’s Curse that no one else knows? 
Yes! Pay close attention to Kelsey's dreams because they are foreshadows of things to come later on in the series. 

Ren or Kishan? 


I honestly love both brothers and want both of them to get their happy endings. I didn't think I'd love Kishan as much as I do but he has solidly wedged himself into my heart. 


 Kelsey can be sassy! Why did you choose to make her character so empowered? 
I wanted a heroine who could do all the cool things I'd like to do. I was a big fan of Wonder Woman. She was beautiful and could do amazing things. That's what I wanted for Kelsey. My hope is that my female readers will see that ordinary girls can do extraordinary things. 

Has your day-to-day changed since becoming a NYT bestselling author?!? What does your husband think about it? 


My day to day just gets busier and more hectic every week that passes. My favorite time is when I can just sit down at my computer and get lost in my story. My husband is proud and amazed. He likes to brag about his author wife to perfect strangers and hands out book marks to everyone he meets. 


Last question—do you plan on visiting India? You’ve already done so much research about it! 
I have no immediate plans but I would LOVE to go. I think it would be amazing to see all the locations I've written about. I made a real effort as I wrote to layer my fantasy world on top of real world places because I like the idea of feeling like you could actually step through a doorway into another world. 


Ren’s Cookies 
2 sticks of butter 
••• cup sugar 
••• cup brown sugar 
2 eggs 
1 ••• tsp vanilla 
••• tsp salt 
••• cup dark coco powder 
2 cups flour 
••• tsp baking powder 
••• tsp baking soda 
1 bag of chocolate chips 
••• cup smooth peanut butter 
••• cup brown sugar 
Cream the butter then add sugars. When it’s light and fluffy, add eggs and vanilla. Sift the next 5 dry ingredients and mix with the wet until thoroughly combined. Add one package of chocolate chips (or as many as you like!) to the dough. Mix together the next 2 ingredients to make the peanut butter filling. Then place a spoonful of the chocolate dough on a baking sheet, top with some peanut butter filling, and cover with some more chocolate dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-20 minutes depending on cookie size.