“Oh, Honey, I can’t wait for you to meet her.  Susan Carlisle is a close friend of mine and when she accepted the invitation to join me for tea…well, I just had to invite you along too.  She said she has some good news to share and you know how much I love good news.  Oh, I just heard a knock on the door.  My guest is right on time.  Be back in a jiffy.”

“Well hello, Miss Susan!”   After a quick, southern-style hug, Miss Maggie ushered her guest of honor inside.  “Come on in to the library and have a seat in front of the fireplace.  I’d like you to meet Sandy, a friend who can’t wait to meet you.”  While they introduce themselves, Miss Maggie pours the tea.  “I even baked Petit Fours to celebrate your good news.”

“Miss Maggie, you’re a sweetie.  This all looks wonderful…and I always feel so welcome and relaxed in your beautiful new home.”

“Thank you.  Now, hurry up and tell us about your new book!  I just love reading your Harlequin medicals. What’s the name of your latest release?”

“Hot Shot Doctor Comes To Town.  Here, let me show it to you. I’m super proud of the cover.

“Wow…what a hunk. Now I’ve got to ask you if the guy on this cover looks anything like the hottie you wrote about.”

“Oh, yes. It’s just perfect for the book.  Hot, hunky men sell well and it doesn’t hurt if he is the same between the pages too!

“Well, I gotta tell you…the cover alone is enough to make me buy the book, but I’m dying to hear a bit about Hot Shot Doctor Comes To Town…about the story.”

“It’s about this big city doc Taylor who gets in trouble with the law!  He has to do community service in a small clinic in a very rural town in West Tennessee.
The worse place for him. What he doesn’t know is that waiting for him is a woman that he can resist and she is all about small towns. Too say sparks fly is an understatement,” she added, joining the ladies in a laugh.  Before continuing, she took a moment to sample the little pastel cake and the English tea.  “Umm, this tea is really good…and the petit fours are yummy.  I really must get your recipe.”

“Thanks…and the recipe is in the Petit Fours and Hot Tamales cookbook. I’ll be sure to give you a copy.  And speaking of recipes, Miss Susan what’s your favorite dessert? Would you consider sharing that recipe?”

“Ooo that is a tough one. I love food. One of my favorites is for Cream Scones. How about I give it to you before I go.  Even the guys in my life love the Scones.”
“Susan, that sounds yummy…not to mention that scones always go well with afternoon tea.  But let’s get back to your yummy doctor. What was your inspiration for Mr. Yummy?”

“I really work from setting.  So I thought about who could own the clinic and who would be the most difficult person for Taylor to deal with and along came Shelby. She cuts him no slack.”

“I can’t wait to read it.  Now I understand that your story is set in western Tennessee, so I can almost hear the southern drawl.  What’s your favorite southern idiom?”

“‘Ya’ll.’   I use it all the time.  It covers two people to a thousand. Now that is a powerful small word!”

“I love it!  But, Susan, is there a special reason your story takes place in Tennessee?”

“I used to live there as a child. I still visit often. There are a number of things that are true in the book.  Some even have to do with family members. Fun to write and remember my childhood.”

“That’s interesting about putting things having to do with family members in your book, but is there any of your own  life experiences in this book? Or in any of your other books?”

“As I said,  Hot-Shot Doc has some but my first one had many. It was about a child needing a heart transplant and I had a son who had one twenty-one years ago. He is still doing great. ”

“I’m so glad he’s doing so well.  Aren’t doctors and nurses the best?  But I’ve just got to ask if you own a shirt that says, ‘Be careful what you say…it might appear in my next book?’”

“No, but I could. So watch out.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask authors what they read. I know how much you love to read when you can squeeze out a little time from writing, but I’m curious what types of books you read and how many you read in a year?”

“I love contemporaries, but I’m also a historical fan.  I’m always reading a book.  I read at least one a week and if they are smaller sometimes three to four.  I also read a number of magazines. I’m a reader!”

“Whee, that’s a lot. Guess I won’t ask you to pick your favorite…but if you could be any character you’ve ever read or written, who would you want to be?

“Alaina in Kathleene Woodiwiss Ashes in the Wind.  Cole, the hero, was so perfectly sexy. All charm and a doctor to boot.”

“I also know how much you love to travel, so if you had a free day, and money was no object, what would you be doing and where would you be doing it?

“Just a day? I want to visit the Great Wall of China. Maybe even spend the night on it. It is the one thing on the earth that is big enough to be seen from space. If it is just one day you would find me having Afternoon Tea with someone I’d not seen in a long time at a wonderful tea spot. I love to stay in touch with people.”

“You know we’ve been friend since…well, a long time, so I’ve heard all the funny stories about your hubby.  Without telling tales out of school, I’d love to know what romantic location you’d like to visit with him?”

“I’d like to stay in one of those huts that hang out over the water in some south local but that wouldn’t last long for us.  We like to be active and see things so maybe the hut could be our home base.  We aren’t too good at just looking into each other’s eyes for days on end.”

“Ah, that’s sounds like fun.  But now I’m anxious to hear what you’re working on next.”

“I’ve just sent in a story that takes place on the ski slopes. I’m starting one about an uptight female heart surgeon and a far too laid back motorcycle riding anesthesiologist. It should be great fun to write.”

“Sounds like we have a lot of great reading coming soon from you…and I can’t wait!”

Miss Susan glances at her watch.  “Oh my goodness, time has slipped away from me.  I’m going to have to run along, but I enjoyed the tea…and the company.  In fact, I’d love to give a copy of my book, Hot Shot Doctor Comes To Town, to one of you visiting with me today.”

“Oh, how sweet of you!  Well, tell you what. I’ll also give another of our guests today a copy of the Petit Four and Hot Tamales’ cookbook!”

“Miss Maggie, thank you so much for inviting me over today.  It was wonderful to sit a spell and catch up.  Bye now!”

“Bye, Miss Susan. And have a nice day…ya hear?”

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CREAM SCONES  by:  Susan Carlisle
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
⅓ butter, cut up
1 cup whipping cream

Combine first 4 ingredients, cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add
whipping cream, stirring just until moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface,
knead 5 or 6 times. Roll to ½ inch thickness, cut with a 2 inch round cutter, and place
in lightly greased muffin pans or 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375
degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.    Makes 1 dozen

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Now I know that Susan Carlisle loves to hear from her readers, so leave a comment for a chance to get a copy of her new book AND a second person will receive a copy of the Petit Fours & Hot Tamales’ cookbook.  Two chances to win !!

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You can buy her 5-star book at:  Hot-Shot-Comes-Town-Susan-Carlisle

And don’t forget to follow Miss Susan at: http://www.susancarlisle.com/

During January, I’ll have a new book out. The Hot-Shot Doctor Comes to Town takes place in a small west Tennessee town.   Here is a short little blurb about it.

A collision course with desire…

When big-city trauma doc Taylor Stiles swaps speeding tickets for community medicine, it brings back memories he’s spent years running from. The only silver lining? Delectable local doctor Shelby Wayne! But Shelby deserves white picket fences and a family—something Taylor swore he’d never do… One look at the bad-boy doc and Shelby wants to send him straight back! Taylor is the last thing she needs, but everything she wants! 

The other news in my life is that my youngest son has gotten engaged. He isn’t planning to marry until 2014 but his wife-to-be is already talking about what she would like to have. He’s also transferring colleges and will be graduating next year.

A New Year, a new position, new ideas always brings about change. I guess you could say my world is changing-for the better I believe.

Do you have any changes happening in your life? Share and you could win a copy of Hot-Shot Doctor Comes to Town.