Sarah Addison Allen

We readers are passionate about sharing newly discovered books and authors.  That's certainly not news to any of you guys!  Some of my all-time favorite writers are those who were introduced to me by many of you through the DorothyL mystery community; others I've just been lucky enough to stumble on.

Such is the case with the wonderful work of Sarah Addison Allen, who describes her work as "Southern-Fried Magical Realism."  

I had just discovered this delightful young writer when a particularly lovely occurrence was happening in my life.  I was over the moon about being interviewed by Marlisa Mills, for Western North Carolina Magazine.  I couldn't wait to have the March, 2011 edition in my hands to read the final version when I was stopped in my tracks to see that my interview followed a wonderful interview of Ms. Allen by Erin Campbell.  It was a very big deal to me to be invited for an interview by Marlisa, an exceptionally gracious woman, and terrific writer, who I greatly admire.  Sometimes life hands over the sweetest of gifts, and being included in the same edition of a magazine I love along with New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen was the oh so sweet icing on the cake. 

This from her webpage:  "North Carolina novelist Sarah Addison Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing to bear on her fiction -- a captivating blend of fairy tale magic, heartwarming romance, and small-town sensibility."

Ms. Allen has written four novels - 

Garden Spells
"Spellbindingly charming, Allen's impressively accomplished debut novel blends the evanescent desires of hopeless romantics with the inherent wariness of those who have been hurt once too often."

- Booklist, starred review

The Sugar Queen
"Words such as sweet, charming and delightful are weak accolades for such a pleasurable book."

- Publishers Weekly

The Girl Who Chased the Moon
"That it is never too late to change the future and that high school sins can be forgiven--these are wonderful messages, but Allen's warm characters and quirky setting are what will completely open readers' hearts to this story."

- Library Journal, starred review

The Peach Keeper
Allen juggles smalltown history and mystical thriller, character development and eerie magical realism in a fine Southern gothic drama. The underlying tension will please and unnerve readers, as well as leave them eager for Allen's next.
-Publisher's Weekly

 

So, there you have it, my latest author discovery that I'm pretty passionate about.  I hope you'll give Sarah Addison Allen a try.  Let me know what you think, please!  In the meantime, here's a little magical bonus surprise for you.  From Sarah's webpage - - - - (this is just one of a few recipes she shares with you there - stop by her place for the others.  Her webpage is lovely and you'll enjoy spending a little time there  -

http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/index.html )

Garden Spells Recipes

(Be sure to use culinary flowers, never florist flowers.) 

ROSE PETAL SCONES
rose petal -- encourages love...

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup unsalted coarsely ground pistachio nuts
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs rose water
2 Tbs edible rose petals - finely shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.   Combine and sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon.   Cut in the butter and mix until crumbly.   Stir in the pistachios.   In a separate bowl, combine the cream and the rose water. Stir in the shredded rose petals.   Add the cream-rose mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.   Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

A Fun Thing

I have a special place in my heart for Western North Carolina Woman Magazine, which celebrates the "strength, wisdom and grace of women."  It's a magazine that I can always count on for interesting profiles and articles along with some outstanding pieces of prose and poetry.  Even more fun is that all these things are from and about women in my "neighborhood," Western North Carolina.

I was lucky enough to have a piece included when they re-printed some of the essays and poetry from Clothes Lines back in December 2009.

The March 2011 issue focuses on "Coming of Age."  My friend, Marlisa Mills, contributes to WNC, and chose me as a person to profile.  Marlisa is one of those exceptional women who always manages to make others feel special.  She has a talent for making us all sound interesting, even though we know, deep down, we're not.  EXCEPT, in those small ways that we each own.  Our own uniqueness makes us each special.  It takes someone like Marlisa to sometimes help us remember them.  And celebrate ourselves.  Thank you, Marlisa for helping me see the little bit of specialness that is me.

If you'd like to read this fun piece - here you go - Kaye Wilkinson Barley Enjoying the Mysteries of Life -  I hope you enjoy it.