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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Lisa Dale: Slow Dancing, Plus Enter This Contest!

Hi ladies!

Only twenty more days until my new novel, Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier, comes out! You can guess I’m a little excited. I think it’s my best book yet!

If you haven’t caught wind of any of the buzz around it yet, here’s the basic plot:

Fifteen years ago, Garret Sorensen’s family, trust, and heart were destroyed when Thea Celik betrayed him and married his brother. Now they are divorcing. Garret’s ready to finally mend his relationship with his brother. But being back in Newport, Rhode Island, triggers a lot of memories—all leading back to Thea.

Thea’s not ready to let go of the Sorensens—even if it means being around Garret. As they cautiously circle around each other—finding themselves drawn together—they realize following their hearts could cast them adrift.

I loved writing this book because I got to do a lot of research about a) the history of coffee, and b) Newport.

Let me tell you—that cup of coffee that you (or your coworker) drinks every day has contained within it amazing stories of love, lust, betrayal, transformation, and intrigue (not to mention antioxidants and caffeine).

One little example of coffee lore, because I can’t help myself. This is from the book. Each chapter opens with a bit about coffee in a newspaper column written by the main character:

From “The Coffee Diaries”
by Thea Celik
The Newport Examiner

What I love about coffee is this: the dramatic change a coffee cherry goes through before it becomes a coffee “bean.”

If you’ve ever dumped out a bag of fresh-roasted coffee beans, you’ve probably stolen a sniff of that gorgeous, earthy aroma. You must have marveled at that glossy, dark sheen.

But that smell and those oils simply did not exist in the coffee cherry when it was little more than a hard green fruit growing on a mountainside.

It’s fire that forces the transformation from seed to bean. Roasting alters the seed’s makeup—an intense molecular restructuring.

In that way, I think coffee cherries aren’t much different than people. Heat and pressure change us. When we walk through fire—and we all do at some point—we come out the other side to find ourselves altered. If we’re lucky, we become richer, more complex, more alluring people because of our trials. But sometimes, we just get burned.

*

I had way too much fun with all this coffee stuff. The metaphors just fell into my lap!

Anyway—I’ve got to go back to writing now. But if you’re interested in Slow Dancing on Price's Pier, you can preorder it today and be one of the first readers to receive it.

And now, I leave you with that age old question: COFFEE or TEA?

Leave your answer and you will be entered to win a wonderful little book that I picked up: Jane Austen’s Little Instruction Book. It’s a darling purple mini-book of pithy quotes from Austen about life.

I’ll stop back tomorrow to pick a winner.

Love!

Lisa Dale

www.LisaDaleBooks.com

P.S. If you haven’t already seen this, you can find another excerpt from Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier here. Meet Garret and Thea, and get a peek into their chemistry. Check it out!

16 comments:

Dixie50 said...

I have to admit, there is nothing(other than the smell of puppies) that I adore more than fresh ground coffee beans. But also there are times that I love hot tea(winter) and being a southerner nothing a beat a nice cold sweet tea. If my life depended on it, I'd have to go for tea!

Mason Canyon said...

To answer your questions - coffee, coffee, coffee with a cup of tea ever once in awhile. Researching coffee, now that wouldn't be work but pure pleasure. There's something about the smell of coffee that is so calming. Your book sounds intriguing, can't wait to check it out. Best of luck.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Lil said...

I love both coffee and tea!

Atia Austen said...

I can't stand coffee - even after working more than ten years in an office. Back then my co-workers predicted I would be hooked within months...
Tea is something I drink when I get home in the evenings.

But I found something else to start my day with: Chai Latte.

Margay Leah Justice said...

That's a hard choice! But I do tend to drink coffee more...

desere_steenberg said...

Stunning post thank you so much for sharing ! I love a good cub of coffee in the morning ,just to wake me up there after it has to be tea !

Take Care
Desere

Kirsten said...

I'm a great tea lover, Green or Black. Asian or Indian. Jasmin or Orange Blossom: IAG! I drink it all the time instead of a coke or soda. Because it's healthy and delicious at the same time.

This doesn't mean that I don't drink coffee. I do drink it, just don't like it that's all. Every morning when I have to go to work I make a strong black coffee and have myself a large mug. No milk or sugar, I'm sad to say. For I need it to wake me up fully & I can't afford to use anything that 'll soften the blow.

Beautiful cover btw, really has a beachy feel to it.

Estella said...

I like both, but have to have my coffee in the morning.

traveler said...

I love teas, especially herbal teas that are relaxing and soothing. Nothing better than tea with lemon and a wonderful book.

petite said...

I have been a tea drinker all my life. I enjoy all types of teas all year long even if it is winter or summer. They provide me with comfort and lovely thoughts.

Mary Preston said...

I drink both. First thing in the morning I need my coffee, last thing at night my tea. In between I sail with the wind.

marypres@gmail.com

Pat Cochran said...

Tea for me: hot, iced, or sweet! I'm
a South-ren(as I've heard it pro-
nounced in my younger days!) girl, too!

Haven't had coffee since I developed
morning sickness with my first preg-
nancy in 1961!

Pat Cochran

Nas said...

Love coffee. Preferably black with lot of sugar!

All the best for SLOW DANCING ON PRICE's PIER!

Kaelee said...

Love them both. I have coffee in the morning and tea the rest of the day. If I could only have one it would be tea as that is the one I started with.

Dina said...

tea for me, never really liked coffee even when I was sooo ocld once, have not aquired that taste for it. :)

Lisa Dale said...

Hi all. Please forgive me! It's been a tremendously busy week, and I've only just now remembered I forgot to pick a winner!

The winner, selected randomly, is Mason!

Please email me to collect your prize. Lisa at lisa dale books dut com.