Sometimes revenge is the only choice
Julia worked for weeks planning the perfect surprise birthday party for her boyfriend, Liam, but that night, she was the one who got the biggest shock. He broke up with her in front of all their friends, humiliating her in the process.
Clearly revenge was in order.
The plan is simple. Make him jealous, win him back, and then crush his heart. Fair is fair. However, there is one little hiccup, and he has curly brown hair and dimples.
Jesse is everything she wants. With him, she could almost forget her bruised heart. Almost. Julia has one choice: let Liam walk away after everything he did, or lose a chance at love in pursuit of payback.
About the Author:
Tawdra Kandle has been a writer since the invention of the pen. Her first published work appeared in Child’s Life magazine when she was 13. After a brief, thirty year hiatus, she published a young adult quartet, The King Series. More recently, she released a short in the anthology Eternal Summer and a contemporary romance THE POSSE. Tawdra lives in central Florida with her husband and children, of both skin and fur types. And yes, she has purple hair.Follow Tawdra!
Tawdra Kandle has been a writer since the invention of the pen. Her first published work appeared in Child’s Life magazine when she was 13. After a brief, thirty year hiatus, she published a young adult quartet, The King Series. More recently, she released a short in the anthology Eternal Summer and a contemporary romance THE POSSE. Tawdra lives in central Florida with her husband and children, of both skin and fur types. And yes, she has purple hair.Follow Tawdra!
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Interview
Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!
I am from everywhere! I was born in a small town in South Jersey, about 20 minutes from Philadelphia. My dad was in the Army and then with P & G, so we lived all over. . .Pennsylvania twice, Kentucky, California, among other places. We ended up back in South Jersey when he went to law school. I married into the Army, and since then we’ve lived in Hawaii, Wisconsin, Virginia, New Jersey and Florida, where we now reside. I am the mom of four kiddos: three daughters who are mostly grown up and one son who is still under my thrall. . I mean, my supervision. I homeschool my kids. We also have one sweet puppy dog and (cough) five (cough) cats. Yes, I am the crazy cat lady your mother warned you about.
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
Best Served Cold was initially inspired by a song, Miranda Lambert’s ‘My Mama’s Broken Heart’. She has a line in there about “Sometimes revenge is a choice you have to make.” I loved that. At first, I saw the heroine living in a small town, trying to get revenge while still living up to her family’s expectations, but pretty soon, Julia introduced herself and told me her story. Turned out she was in college, in South Jersey. Best Served Cold is my first full-length novel set outside Florida, so that was a different experience. I kept thinking it would be cold and snowy outside when I came up for air, but no. This is Florida, and it’s hot!
How do you create your characters?
I am one of those weird authors who really doesn’t feel that I create characters. . .they come to me. They introduce themselves, and they tell me their stories. If I try to force things in a different direction, it doesn’t go so well. But some of them I do influence a tad. Many are inspired by people I know or are amalgamations of people or situations. Certain traits might show up in different characters. In Best Served Cold, Desmond, the 3-year old whom Julia babysits, was one person I did create. He is named after a writer friend of mine (who happens to be terrified of cats, unlike his fictional counterpart), but his character and likes came from the three-year old little boy who comes to stay with us three days a week.
What inspires and what got your started in writing?
Life inspires me. It all comes down to one question: what if? What if those two people sitting at a table in a restaurant were set up on a date by friends with whom they’re really in love? What if that guy at the bar is telling his sobbing girlfriend that he’s moving to Zimbabwe to join the Peace Corps? Well, what happens next? That’s almost always the impetus. As for how I got my start. . .I have always told stories, and I began writing pretty young. I moved away from fiction for a time, while I was a college student and then a wife and mom, but about five years ago, I decided to dive back in. I wrote my first full-length book in a few months, and I never looked back.
Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to
write (music, drinks?)
I used to write in my green recliner in our living room, or sitting up in bed. Now I have an adorable little office, off our living room and kitchen, so I can keep track of everyone while I am working. I like to have music, but sometimes I write to football or even to TV–preferably Buffy or Supernatural eps. My favorite writing snack is ruffled chips and onion dip. . .yum!!
How do you get your ideas for writing?
All around me, in everyday life and through talking to my family and friends.
What do you like to read?
I am an eclectic reader. I read historical romance, biographies, paranormal, thrillers, mysteries. . .non-fiction if it’s fascinating. I just finished a series about an Amish community in Mexico in the early twentieth century, and I also read two excellent Tiffany King books.
What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring in regards
to writing?
Keep writing, don’t panic if you get stuck. . .just jump ahead to a part you feel like writing. You can always go back and make connections, and it just may be easier. Also, listen a LOT. Read what other authors say, and take what you can from their advice. Not all of it will apply to you. Be kind to everyone, and always show as much grace as possible. This is important when you’re a baby fledgling writer, just starting out, because you need the goodwill of other authors and of talented people who format and create covers, and it’s crucial when you’re more successful, because nobody likes a lout.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Hmmm. . .well, only that I hope next year to release about 6 books, including JUST DESSERTS, the follow-up to BEST SERVED COLD, and The Serendipity Duet, which is two New Adult paranormal romances with a kick. There’s a short story about those characters in the Christmas anthology A CHRISTMAS YET TO COME which will be released this week. I’ll also be publishing a New Adult romance connected to my adult romance THE POSSE–it’s called THE LAST ONE. And then my adult series, Recipe for Death, will debut in the late spring/early summer. That’s a fun set of books to write, and I hope everyone will enjoy them.
Thanks for having me here–terrific interview!
Thanks for this great interview–it was fun! Happy New Year.