Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Welcome Theresa Romain

by Christie Kelley

Today the lair is welcoming debut author Theresa Romain. Her first book, Season for Temptation, is out now. Welcome again, Theresa.

Can you tell us a little about the story?

Hi, Christie—thanks so much for inviting me here to blog with the Romance Bandits! Season for Temptation is a Regency-set historical romance featuring a love triangle, a hungry parrot, disastrous costumes, several unwanted proposals, and one much-wanted one.

The back cover copy reads:

TWO SISTERS… Julia Herington is overjoyed when her stepsister, Louisa, becomes engaged—to a viscount, no less. Louisa’s only hesitation is living a life under the ton’s critical gaze. But with his wry wit and unconventional ideas, Julia feels James is perfect for Louisa. She can only hope to find a man like him for herself. Exactly like him, in fact…

ONE CHOICE… As the new Viscount Matheson, James wished to marry quickly and secure his title. Kind, intelligent Louisa seemed a suitable bride… Until he met her stepsister. Julia is impetuous—and irresistible. Pledged to one sister, yet captivated by another, what is he to do? As Christmas and the whirl of the London season approach, James may be caught in a most scandalous conundrum, one that only true love, a bit of spiritous punch—and a twist of fate—will solve…


Season for Temptation is a Regency historical. What got you into writing historical romance?

I’ve always loved history, and I’ve always loved reading. I started reading historical romance in college, and I think the possibility of writing one was always in the back of my mind. First, though, I had to finish grad school (in history!), and then I focused on nonfiction writing for quite a while. Once I was ready to switch to fiction, it took a while to retrain my writing voice. The first draft of Season for Temptation sounded as formal as a scientific article! But it was even more fun than I’d thought it would be to make up stories and tinker with dialogue and character, so I kept revising over time. And, of course, reading every fantastic historical romance I could get my hands on.

The plot has a love triangle. How hard was writing that aspect of the story? Did you find it difficult to keep you hero and heroine sympathetic in that situation?

Absolutely, it was a difficult balance to keep everyone sympathetic. But I thought it was very important to the story. I’ve seen love triangles with “other women,” but I wanted to write all three characters as good people who are in a really difficult situation. Both James and Louisa enter into their engagement for noble reasons: they want to help their families. Both James and Julia fight their attraction because they have great respect for Louisa—in fact, Julia considers Louisa her closest friend as well as her stepsister. So I had to balance the growth of love and desire with perfectly proper behavior. Every time James or Julia stepped over the line, they had to pull back, since (in my opinion) there’s nothing romantic about betrayal. The story is about how people with the best intentions can be led astray by emotions—and then how they make things right.

We love call stories in the lair! Can you tell us yours?

Certainly! Mine is kind of backwards. My call story began with the Northwest Houston RWA’s Lone Star writing contest in spring 2009. I entered the first few chapters of my first novel in the Historical category. And then my house flooded – TWICE – and I forgot about the contest. I stopped querying, I stopped writing, I stopped doing anything except dealing with contractors and oh yeah working and oh maybe even sleeping but not much because there was always something else that needed to be fixed. That went on for about five months.

At the end of that five months, things were reasonably normal again, and I missed writing so much by then. I opened up my manuscript files and looked everything over. I had fresh eyes for the work by this point, and I started tweaking and fixing and clipping and expanding. A few weeks later, the Lone Star contest coordinator told me that I’d made the contest final. And shortly after that, the judging editor emailed me to ask for the full. Whee!! She had my shiny newly edited manuscript in her inbox before the day was out. A few weeks later, the editor called me to make an offer for it.

So that was the literal “call” in my “call story,” and I actually missed it because I was at work. But she left a message. I know I didn’t imagine it, because I made my husband listen to it and tell me it was real. And I did get back to the editor the next day, and she promised it was real. And now Season for Temptation is also real!

What's next for you?

I’m working on a few other Regency-set projects, including a follow-up to Season for Temptation. When I have definite details, I will shout them to the world! And just for fun...what's your favorite dessert? Um, all of them? I have a world-class sweet tooth, and dessert always sounds good to me. I like to watch competitions on the Food Network, and whenever a judge says, “This is too sweet,” I think, “Whatever. There’s no such thing.”

I do have a particular love for anything with coconut (which I realize is a controversial opinion). Coconut cake is my favorite make-it-every-birthday treat. I also really like Jelly Bellys, but I don’t get them very often since I gobble them down whenever they’re in the house.
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You can Theresa at http://theresaromain.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTheresaRomain
Linkhttp://twitter.com/TheresaRomain
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Christie and Bandits, thanks again for hosting me! And now I have a question for you readers. Did you ever have a dinner that surprised you—whether the food or the company? Tell us about it! I’ll give away a copy of Season for Temptation to one random commenter.

82 comments:

Jane said...

Happy Release Day, Theresa. I can't wait to read your debut release. I have been to dinners where the host and his wife were bickering. I was surprised they weren't embarrassed by their behavior. They just nag each other and it's so uncomfortable and you can't even enjoy the meal. You're just dying to run out the door.

Anna Campbell said...

Jane, congrats on the chook!

Christie, great interview!

Theresa, congratulations on your debut hitting the shelves. And what a great call story! I love how everyone's is so different!

Mary Preston said...

I think the only time I was surprised was when a mere acquaintance decided to join us at our table during a family birthday dinner. They just insisted we join up tables & there was really nothing we could do about it.

Helen said...

Well done Jane have fun with him

Theresa
I love the sound of this book and I have added it to my must have list.

Last Feburary I was in The City for the ARRA Awards and a few us went out for lunch after doing some organising and Nalini Singh (who was our guest speaker at the awards) joined us for lunch along with Tracy O'Hara another great author it was a great lunch food and company and such a surprise.

Congrats on the release and thanks Christie for inviting Theresa along today

Have Fun
Helen

Jo's Daughter said...

No BIG surprises but, I was stunned when a friend sitting across from me all of a sudden went south. Her chair had lost a legg while she sat on it?!

So strange talking to her while all of a sudden ... going down. I was even more surprised when she continued sitting on the floor ending our conversation BEFORE getting up and mentioning what happened. Probably didn't realize until then.

It was close to new years and we did have a drink so maybe that was it. But weird all the same.

Christie Kelley said...

Jane, I've been to those types of dinners too. Or even better the couple that starts bickering while out at a nice restaurant. That drives me nuts!

Christie Kelley said...

Marybelle, I couldn't imagine someone doing that!

Christie Kelley said...

Thanks, Helen.

Christie Kelley said...

OMG, Jo's daughter, I would have burst out laughing. How in the world did she continue her conversation??

Nancy said...

Theresa, welcome and congratulations! Your book sounds wonderful. The Christmas theme adds a nice gloss since I'm a sucker for holiday stories.

I've never had a surprising dinner. My friends tend to be fairly predictable.

My first trip to the beach with my female college classmates, six years ago, was a surprise, though. I was a bit uneasy about going that first time. As a transfer student, I knew more people in the classes behind me than in my own. What surprised me, at dinner the first night and throughout the weekend, was how easily we all connected. It was a wonderful holiday, and I now look forward to it every year.

Nancy said...

Jane, congrats on the bird! Those dinners sound awful. People should suck it up and behave when they gave guests. Making a guest uncomfortable was a cardinal sin when I was growing up.

Nancy said...

Marybelle, this sounds. Ike a pushy acquaintance.

girlygirlhoosier52 said...

Well, one time while visiting my sister & brother in law in Crete [USAF] - they advised me not to order a particular item... someone else ordered it... it was octapus sliced so you could see the suckers... ick!! they knew me pretty welll!!!!!
Congrats on your debut!! I can't wait to read it!!

Rebekah E. said...

About the only thing that surprises me at dinner is how many people my husband know. There is always someone coming up to him to talk. It got to the point where if we wanted a date night we might as well stay in.

Congrats on you release.

Theresa Romain said...

Thanks so much, Christie and the Banditas, for hosting me this morning! I'm so delighted to join this fun bunch on the release day of my romance debut.

Wow, these stories of notable meals are making me laugh!

Theresa Romain said...

Jane--oh, that is so awkward. I never know what to do when people start fighting in front of me. Best I can do is pretend to be invisible.

Thanks for the kind words about SFT!

Theresa Romain said...

Anna--thank you so much. I love reading call stories too! I really think there are as many paths to publication as there are writers.

Theresa Romain said...

marybelle--what?? That had to be awkward! But though they had no manners, at least your family did. The only graceful way out sometimes is through.

Thanks for stopping by!

Theresa Romain said...

Helen--wow, thanks! Hope you enjoy SFT!

Have favorite authors join a lunch...oh, that is the absolute best kind of surprise meal! What a fun story.

Anonymous said...

Hello Theresa and congrats on your debut! Thank you so much for sharing your call story.

And my BFF, like you, absolutely adores coconut. She has a lot of stuff where coconut is used, from scented candles, to lotions, napkins and chocolates. It makes shopping for her birthday very easy. lol

Unknown said...

No surprise dinners here. Most of the dinner's I have are pretty much the same all the time. Now I have had a few myself that everything went wrong during them.

Theresa Romain said...

Jo's Daughter--she must have been really deep in thought! (Or, yeah, the drink had something to do with it.)

My sister once had a chair collapse under her. She's not at all heavy, but it was an old chair and one of the legs popped out of the seat. Since she didn't have a drink in her :), she was really embarrassed--but once the rest of my family knew she was ok, we went ahead and laughed. How can you not?

Theresa Romain said...

Christie--hello, my dear hostess! Thanks for the lovely interview! Do you have any strange (good or bad) mealtime stories?

Theresa Romain said...

Nancy--thanks so much for stopping by! What a wonderful tradition. Mealtime is (ideally) all about bringing people together, and it sounds like your trip is too. How did that tradition start?

Theresa Romain said...

girlygirlhoosier52--ohhh, that wouldn't have worked for me either. I love calamari, but there aren't really any visible suckers on there! I do like to watch cooking competitions on the Food Network (Chopped, Iron Chef, etc), and when they work with a really strange ingredient, I often think: "wow, I'm glad *I* don't have to eat that."

Theresa Romain said...

Rebekah E--sounds like your husband is a very outgoing man! He must be lovely, to have so many friends--but I can definitely see how it would ruin a date to have other people interrupting you all the time. Maybe have him wear a disguise, like some of those fake glasses with a Groucho mustache. Strangers would probably avoid him if he went out wearing that. :)

Theresa Romain said...

Antonia--your BFF sounds like my kind of girl! People aren't usually neutral about coconut; they either love it or hate it. You know where I stand. :)

I actually got coconut shampoo and had used it over the weekend. My toddler daughter told me she thought my hair smelled good, and when I said thank you, she said, "I like it because it smells like cheese."

Um. Shampoo failure? Or nose failure? I'm not exactly sure.

Theresa Romain said...

Virginia--"everything went wrong"; yeah, I know that feeling! I have a few masterful cooks in my family, but I would describe myself as "adequate." I like to cook, but I can't juggle a stovetop full of different dishes without something going horribly wrong. Though in my experience, once the food's on the table, everything settles down. Especially if I uncork a bottle or two of wine.

jo robertson said...

Hi, Theresa! Welcome to the Lair. "Season of Temptation" sounds, well, tempting! I love historical romance, so I'll definitely be adding SOT to my TBR list.

I agree with you -- there's no such thing as too sweet. And coconut cake! To die for!

I was born on leap year, so when I was four I got a surprise party. I think I was too young to appreciate that it was really my FIRST birthday, but my mom had a great time!

G Cochrane said...

Congratulation Theresa. Very exciting day. Hope it rains jelly beans and coconut cake today.

Food surprise recently at an Luau. First course Poi and Pork which was no surprise. Then the man sitting on the other side of my hubby leans behind him and in astage whispers says, "Remember what I told you about the food here, be careful what you eat." Nothing kills your appetite like a whispered warning. I felt like I was in an Ngaio Marsh mystery. :)

Kim said...

Congratulations on the new release. As for your question,we were invited over to a friend's house for Thanksgiving. After cooking the turkey for about 8 hours, our hosts took it out of the oven. Unfortunately, the bird was still raw since the oven was broke. Luckily, there were side dishes of stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Theresa Romain said...

jo--yes! A fellow dessert-lover! Do you also prefer milk chocolate to dark? I've been told that makes me unsophisticated (which, hey, I knew that). But you know, milk chocolate is just...sweeter.

I love your birthday story! Do you celebrate on an honorary birthday in non-leap years?

Theresa Romain said...

GayleC--Ngaio Marsh; I love it. It sounds like it was all set to be a fantastic experience. Too bad the specter of food poisoning was raised. Did you eat any of the food after all? Did everyone stay healthy?

Theresa Romain said...

Penfield--ack, that's a lousy Thanksgiving surprise, and a very bad way to learn that the over is broken! Thank goodness there were side dishes.

Donna MacMeans said...

Hi Theresa! Welcome to the lair. Your debut sounds wonderful. I'll be watching for it.

As for dinner, one meal in particular was a surprise to me and I was the one responsible. The dinner was at another's house and I was asked to bring rum cake for dessert. I called my very Italian sister-in-law hoping for a recipe, but she said - just make your favorite sponge cake and then soak it in rum. Sounds easy, right? I made the sponge cakes in little individual loaf pans - they were gorgeous - but how exactly does one soak a cake in rum? And how much rum do you use? I figured a fifth would be adquate. (gasp! what did I know?) I set the cakes on a grid with a pan beneath, poked holes in the cakes, then poured rum over them. Yeah, they soaked up some, but it looked like most of the rum was in the pan beneath...unuseable rum for anything other than soaking cakes judging from the bits of cake floating in the liquid.

So - I poured the spent rum in a bowl, replaced the pan, and poured the bowl contents over the cakes - then repeated that procedure - then repeated that procedure - until little rum was left. Then I put little doilies on the cakes so that when I sprinkled confectioner's sugar, it left a lacy pattern on each cake. They were camera worthy, they were so pretty.

I served the cakes and they were like liquid fire going down. One bite and you were snockered. Two bites and you were asleep. I'm still razzed about that dessert (but they keep asking me to provide the desserts - especially the men in the group). Yeah - that dinner had a surprizing finish (grin).

Donna MacMeans said...

Speaking of surprises - Just a reminder for everyone to visit the lair on October 14th for our October surprise! We'll be giving tricks and treats up to the BIG announcement later in the month.

Theresa Romain said...

Donna--what a fun story! I think I would like your cake, though it would probably knock me out after a few bites.

mrsshukra said...

Congrats, Theresa! The dinner I remember was the one I had ruined with my first attempt at baking a double layer carrot cake complete with icing and decorations for dessert and it came out so hard, the knife wouldn't slice through it. It ended up in the rubbish and I wasn't allowed to make dessert for any dinners after that.

Theresa Romain said...

mrsshukra--aw, too bad. I'm always disappointed when something doesn't turn out. On the other hand: being allowed to eat dessert but not make it? That sounds pretty good!

Beth Andrews said...

Theresa, welcome to the lair and congrats on your debut! Sounds wonderful *g* I adore love triangles and it sounds as if you've done justice to all your characters in this one :-)

One of my favorite dinner memories is when we took our son to his favorite restaurant for his high school graduation. It was such a fun night :-)

Na said...

My favourite dinner memory is when my dad came home early for work. It was a holiday and we were all bummed because he wouldn't make it. Thinking back now I think my mom knew he would be around because she made a feast with all the fixings and our favourites. I was thrilled because we had our family time for the rest of the day. Turns out he didn't have work but went out to surprise us with extra presents =)

Janga said...

I'm late posting because I've been reading Season for Temptation. I'm laughing and sighing and loving it. Congratulations on a great debut book, Theresa.

My greatest dinner surprise dates back to my childhood when my grandmother made one of her famous rice puddings, much loved by the family, and confused the bottle of vanilla flavoring with the bottle of linament my grandfather had left on the counter. I don't think anyone who tasted that pudding has ever forgotten it.

Theresa Romain said...

Beth--thanks for the kind words! And what a lovely dinner memory. Having relatives come from far away was one of my favorite parts about my graduations.

Theresa Romain said...

Na--that's so lovely! You must have been so delighted to see your father when you thought it wouldn't work out. What a fun trick for your parents to play. :)

Theresa Romain said...

Janga--thank you so much; I'm really glad you're enjoying SFT!

Your liniment story made me laugh out loud. That's probably the *worst* thing she could have grabbed instead of vanilla! What on earth did it taste like? Or are there even words for the flavor of rice-liniment pudding?

Theresa Romain said...

These stories are so much fun! Thanks, everyone, for stopping by to share memories today!

One of my favorite food stories is a simple one: a few months ago, I was making French toast for my husband and daughter. I smacked an egg on the stove to crack it, and my husband was really impressed. "How did you do that?" he said. "You only hit it one time! And you hit it on a flat surface!"

Now, I'm thinking: uh, it's not that unusual that I got an egg to break by hitting it on something. But I just said thank you. I never know what's going to impress Mr. R. Usually a Star Trek joke will do the trick, but rarely does cooking.

And I just realized that this story doesn't really have that much to do with cooking, but it's the best I've got. Which is probably why Mr. R is rarely impressed with my cooking. :)

Maria D. said...

Happy Release Day!

One of my best meal experiences was when one of my best friends and I decided to "live on the edge" and try out a Japanese Steak House...neither one of us had ever had Japanese food before and it's a fairly fancy restaurant so we dressed up and made a night of it. I had a "Midori Sunrise" drink which was amazing, the food was amazing and the chef cooking everything in front of us except the soup was fantastic! It was highly entertaining and the company was very enjoyable (they seated us at a huge table with strangers who we got to know as the evening went on). I then decided to try other Japanese cuisine and have been a fan of sushi since! Thanks for the giveaway!

Gannon Carr said...

Hi, Theresa and congrats on your debut! I'm really looking forward to reading it. Gorgeous cover!

I can't think of a really surprising dinner, just some fun ones. We lived in Italy for two years and when we went out with our Italian friends, there were at least 20 people, enough food and wine to feed an army, and lots of laughter. And they lasted for hours! We usually didn't get home until after 1 a.m.

Nancy said...

Theresa, our beach weekends started when a handful of the women had the idea. Any woman in our class is welcome, and we usually get around two dozen, not always the same ones. It has been a great way to renew old ties and forge new ones.

Kate Carlisle said...

Welcome to the Lair, Theresa! And great interview, Christie. We do love our call stories, don't we. :-)

Theresa, your cover is so beautiful! I love regency historicals and I really like love triangle plots so I'm looking forward to reading your book.

I'm a total foodie, so I don't even know where to begin talking about a favorite dinner. Hmm. It would have to be one of the meals we had in Paris ... or maybe New York ... or San Francisco? Hard to choose. Actually, we had a pretty good dinner last night at home. Plain old sausages and pasta. Ha!

Ooh Jane, would hate to be at a dinner where the host is bickering with his wife. Uncomfy for sure.

Congrats on the GR, by the way. He never bickers over food. :-)

Kate Carlisle said...

Gannon, those Italian meals sound like so much fun!!

Actually, any meal I don't have to cook is a favorite for me. LOL

Barbara E. said...

I was invited to a friend's house for a holiday dinner party before I knew she was a vegetarian. There were some interesting dishes, but everything was good and I had a great time.

Sonali said...

Hi Theresa,

Congratulations on your debut. The only time i was surprised was at dinner one time when my aunt cooked up some sort of Singaporean sweet dish. It was yum but it was a surprise none the less.

Anonymous said...

It was when my brother, cousin, and I went out for dinner while on a family trip to Montecito Bay. It was a Korean restaurant and the windows were all dark-tinted, which made it look rather shady, and my cousin and I were hesitant to go in . My brother insisted, and the food turned out to be wonderful (my first time with Korean food). They had all these little side dishes, the waitress was very friendly, and the atmosphere was bright and homey.

Theresa Romain said...

Maria D--yum! Aren't those Japanese steakhouse meals fun? Glad you found a new kind of food to love!

Theresa Romain said...

Gannon--that sounds fantastic! And oh, to live in Italy? How wonderful! What kind of foods were served often, do you remember? I'm imagining delicious carbs--crusty bread, lots of pasta. And shellfish...ok, you'd never know I'd already eaten dinner.

Theresa Romain said...

Nancy--that does sound great. What a fun idea for a reunion; no need to wait 5 or 10 years to reconnect!

Christie Kelley said...

Sorry I couldn't get here much, Theresa. I can't access most of the web from work because of the firewalls and my son needed major help studying for his engineering test. 9th grade is killing us!

Theresa Romain said...

Kate--thank you so much for the kind words! :) I second you: I'd define a great meal as "a good meal I didn't have to cook."

Theresa Romain said...

Barbara E--that could definitely include a few surprises! Do you remember any foods that were really unusual (like tofurkey)?

Louisa Cornell said...

Jane got the chook! Congrats! Bet your next meal is going to be a surprise. The GR LOVES surprises!


Theresa, congratulations on your debut! I'm always up for a good love triangle. And what a great call story! As an aspiring historical write AND a "contest courtesan," as La Campbell calls me, your story gives me hope!

A meal that completely surprised me, and not in a good way, was the first Thanksgiving Dinner I cooked for my family. I was fresh out of college and living in a big rented farm house. I invited my entire family over for Thanksgiving Dinner. I thought I had everything done to perfection. Turns out, not everything!

In the process of carving the turkey my father discovered I had cooked the turkey with that lovely bag of gizzards, livers and the neck bone STILL inside! The cookbook I consulted said nothing about removing the turkey's luggage before I sent him on his final journey! My family has never let me live that one down!

Theresa Romain said...

Sonali--it does sound good! Was your aunt trying out a new dish?

Theresa Romain said...

Rosie--you found a hidden gem. How fun! I haven't tried a lot of Korean food--what were your favorites?

Theresa Romain said...

Christie--I understand, I know this was a full day for you! Heck, I'd need help studying for an engineering test too. :) It's been a fun day--thanks for getting the party started this morning!

Theresa Romain said...

Louisa--thanks for your lovely comment. Yep, I was a contest courtesan too. I chose contests with judging editors that I really wanted to get my work in front of (er, until my house flooded and I went into survival mode). Best of luck to you!

You cooked a whole Thanksgiving dinner? Color me impressed! I know you're not the only person to think the bird came "pre-stuffed." :) How did it taste, cooked with gizzards in the bag?

Anonymous said...

Wow, "Season of Temptation" sounds wonderful! I'm definitely adding it to my "to read" list.

The only time I was ever surprised at dinner was when we went to some University function with my father and his cronies. One of his friends brought his very young new wife. I was there with my husband, and at some point, I leaned over to give him a kiss. She turns to me and says,

"Oh, are you guys brother and sister?" When we both stared at her, she said, "Because, it's, like, really weird if you're kissing your brother in public."

But the kicker was when she said to my dad's other friend (who was there with his wife), "Do I know you? You look familiar."

And he replied, "Yeah. I'm your vet."

To which SHE replied, "Oh! I totally didn't recognize you with your clothes on!"

Most awkward moment EVER, especially since the vet's wife worked in his office. I kind of thought she was going to claw little Missy's eyes out.

Theresa Romain said...

meganconnors--WOW. That's a memorable dinner, all right! The wife sounds the way Luna Lovegood was described in the Harry Potter books: always good entertainment value. Wonder if she got an earful when they left the dinner function.

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Theresa Romain said...

Thanks so much to the Bandits, and to all you visitors to the Lair. This has been such a fun day!

I'm turning in for the night, but I'll be back in the morning, hungry (ha!) for more stories. The giveaway of SEASON FOR TEMPTATION will still be open for a while tomorrow, so come on back and chat some more. Good night, and sweet & sour dreams!

Maureen said...

Congratulations on your new book! I think my biggest surprise was a birthday dinner at my parent's house that was actually a baby shower.

Theresa Romain said...

Good morning, everyone! I think we've got a little more time before the giveaway closes, so let's have a little more fun. :)

Maureen--that sounds lovely! Two reasons to celebrate at once. Congratulations!

Laurie G said...

I remember making a prime rib dinner with oven roasted potatoes for a dinner for my husband's new partner and spouse. I had everything ready oven roasted potatoes, broccoli casserole etc. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn off a burner and the pyrex dish shattered that contained the roasted potatoes. It made a terrible sound and then scattered glass everywhere. Embarrassing!

I love the Food Network channel. Ina, Giada, Rachel, Sandra etc they all make cooking and entertaining look so easy and fun.

Theresa Romain said...

Laurie G--sounds like it was all set to be delicious. That's too bad about the potatoes! Yikes, I had no idea Pyrex would shatter like that.

I really enjoy the Food Network too, though I like the competitions more than the cooking shows. I learn something from every show, that's for sure.

Cathy P said...

The dinner that surprised me most was the first time I went out with my husband of 38 years. We net at a wedding. He was best man and I was Maid of Honor. After the wedding, he asked me out to dinner as friends. I didn't know him except as Doug's oldeer brother, but from the way he was staring at me, I wanted to say no. I opened my mouth to say no, and imagine my surprise when I said yes. He took me to a nice steak restaurarnt, and we had a good time.

Theresa Romain said...

Cathy P--that's a fun story! Meeting at a wedding is lovely. I think I can guess what you mean about the way he was looking at you, based on the fact that you wound up getting married. :)

Di said...

I have a new, bigger kitchen so I've been hosting more meals. Of course in the summer I've been cooking on the grill. But something happened & it wasn't working well on night so everything was delayed. I had done some quartered red potatoes in the oven & thought they would be overdone. Instead I was told they were the best potatoes ever!

Theresa Romain said...

Di--getting "best ever" instead of "underdone" is a great surprise! Have you been able to make those potatoes again?

Linda said...

Happy release day Theresa & congrats! The book looks awesome & I've added it to my wishlist. Can't wait to read it.

My family tends to eat at home mostly; which rather lessens the risk of a surprise.

I love coconut too & I'm always on the look out for good recipes. Hope you'll share some of your fav recipes!

thumbelinda03@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Theresa - I love the Korean BBQ ribs, but my family also makes a really tasty version of it. I also really like kimchee (a pickled spicy veggie dish) and I remember a sweet and rich kind of potato salad from that night the most. I like the concept of a meal that is made up of a few main dishes but also accompanied with a dozen little dishes that kind of serve as condiments to those main ones.

Theresa Romain said...

Linda--thanks for the kind words about SFT! And hooray: I'm always glad to share my love of coconut.

A really easy way to make a coconut cake is just to get a white cake mix and white icing. Then stir as much flaked coconut into them as they'll hold! I've found this doesn't really affect the way the cake bakes, since coconut has some oil and moisture in it. And it is reallly good. At least, if you love coconut. ;)

Theresa Romain said...

Rosie--that does sound like fun! You got the chance to try lots of different foods and flavors, all in one visit. I have a Korean friend who's introduced me to bibimbab (if I've spelled that right), and I really ought to try kimchee too. Spicy is just what I like.

Jeanne M said...

Theresa,
When I was in college in Arizona my cousin who also went to the same school "set me up" with a friend. His friend had the same last name as I did and he was curious what would happen when we walked into a party together and were introduced to other couples.

Needless to say that when our first date was for a "dinner party" ever one assumed we were married! We decided to play along and you know the old saying when you assume something without questioning someone and took a lot of ribbing later on! We ended up being great friends and he even took me up to Scotdale later to meet his family.

No we didn't play the same trick on them - we learned out lesson the first time!

Theresa Romain said...

Jeanne--sounds like a funny coincidence and a fun trick. A sense of humor is a great trait in a man!