Spicing Things Up by Judi Lynn - Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Judi will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Things You Might Not Know About Judi Lynn

1. I love to cook. That’s why food always ends up in my romances, but when I married my husband, I’d never cooked anything. My mom—a Capricorn—was a bit of a dictator in the kitchen, and we weren’t allowed in her domain. She threatened us with wooden spoons if we got underfoot. And she had a mean swing. She made lots and lots of meals for friends and cooked more fried chicken on Sundays than any woman should have to. I remember her making a HUGE tray of deviled eggs for a big family holiday, and when she grabbed the plate, she was in a hurry. She whisked it to the table, and every egg hovered mid-air, then landed on the floor. She cried. My mom didn’t cry very often. It was pretty heartbreaking. We ate a lot of chicken and eggs when we were growing up, because my parents had a chicken coop at the back of our property. If I fed the chickens and gathered eggs every morning, my dad let me raise homing and tumbler pigeons. I know, not every girl’s dream, but some of my pigeons were so tame, that if I whistled on the back porch, they’d come to me and land on my shoulders. I thought I was in kid heaven.

2. I love kids. I taught elementary school for six years, and I had kids underfoot more often than not when I cooked. To me, food is a social event. Both of my daughters can whip up a mean feast when they’re in the mood. Our grandsons and my nurse daughter (a single mom) lived with us for many years, and the boys are good cooks, too. Tyler, 24, wanted to impress a girl who was a vegan and made a pureed butternut squash and coconut milk mac ‘n cheese for her. They might have gotten serious, but she had to move away for her job.

3. I broke my leg on June 17. I’ve stood on an oak rocking chair for YEARS to reach a high shelf. It wasn’t the rocking chair’s fault. I decided to get fancy and put a thick cushion on it—a cushion with no ties. I didn’t even think about it. It’s habit. I jumped on the chair, and the cushion slid right out from under my feet. It was an ugly break. I shattered and fractured the top of my tibia. I have metal pieces in my knee now. I had to go to therapy every day for three months. I’m still using a walker, or on good days, a cane. My therapist said it would probably be this August before I’m back to “normal.” The moral to my story? Take the time to get a good footstool. Don’t be impatient like me.

4. I’m a happy soul, but I’m only borderline social. I like people, but it takes a lot to motivate me to leave my house and be around them. I don’t make new friends easily, but the friends whom I have can’t be improved on. I’ve belonged to a writers’ club longer than I care to think about, and I have to tell you, writers make awesome BFFs. They might be quirky, but they’re empathetic.

5. I think of myself as a bit of a grump. My husband thinks I’m a cheerful optimist. I’m a Libra, so I’m probably a bit of both. I can always see how things could go wrong, but I’m also pretty sure that I can fix them. I just never expect much in life to be easy. If it’s something you’re passionate about, it’s going to take work. If you’re really passionate about it, the work and challenge are worth it. Life is choices. I just try to make the right ones.

Tyne Newsome promised to help Daphne Ferris pick up the pieces if her professor boyfriend dumped her. Tyne is a hottie chef with no intentions of committing to anyone. He has big plans for his future. Daphne owns a stained glass shop and spends most evenings eating dinner with her parents. She prefers safety and solitude, but Tyne keeps bumping her out of her usual routines. He's not someone she can ignore. And soon, they find that they complement each other so well, they're both pushed to places they've never been before.

Read an excerpt:

Miriam looked Tyne up and down. “So what’s the deal? Why are you pestering Daphne? Because if you’ve tagged her for sloppy seconds, I’ll tar and feather you and drive you out of town.”

A warrior. He grinned. He liked this woman more and more. “What are you, her protector?”

“Yes.” She crossed her arms. “The professor hurt her enough. I’m warning you off.”

“You’ve got it wrong. I don’t have to chase women. They chase me. I’m pestering Daphne because she’s a friend. I think the professor’s a dick, and I don’t want her to retreat back into her shell since he dumped her.”

Miriam’s eyes went wide. He doubted too many people surprised her, but he must have.

“So, you’re playing the Good Samaritan?”

“I don’t make a habit of it. And I’m not all that patient, but I thought I’d give it a shot.”

He watched Miriam’s right eyebrow rise. He knew that look. He was the recipient of it many times. “Are you a teacher?”

“That obvious? High school English. But don’t think I hide behind books. I intend to rattle Daphne’s cage, too. I don’t care if I end up single, living with cats, and talking to myself, but she will. She took a step. I want her to keep going.”

“So do I.”

Miriam nodded. “Good, then I don’t have to threaten you or hire someone to hurt you. You do your thing, and I’ll do mine, and hopefully, we’ll move Daphne in the right direction.”

About the Author:

Judi Lynn lives in Indiana with her husband, a bossy gray cat, a noisy Chihuahua, and a parakeet. She loves to cook and owns more cookbooks than any mortal woman would ever need. That’s why so much food sneaks into her stories. She also loves her flower beds, but is a haphazard gardener, at best.

You can find her webpage at: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/
Her blog: http://writingmusings.com/
Her author facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudiLynnwrites/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/judypost

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