Ex Libris

Please give a warm welcome to P.G. Forte, who in her celebration of the release of her latest novel, , is not only bringing us sexy vamps but delicious cookies as well! And being the baking fan I am, is there a more perfect guest than PG? I don't think so ;-) So read on to discover that even vampires like cookies and to win some for yourself just enter the giveaways at the end! ;-)  

Baking With Vampires
by P.G. Forte

When I started writing about vampires, the last thing I was expecting was cookies. Sure, I’d always enjoyed reading about food and writing about food. There’s tons of good-eats in most of my other books. But these were vampires. They didn’t eat regular food…did they? Apparently they did.

Oh, not for nourishment, you understand. I’m that much of a purist, at least. You can change whatever else you want about them, but if you take away the fangs and blood-drinking, they’re just not vampires anymore. No, my vampires eat for entertainment, or comfort, or out of habit, or in an attempt to fit in with humans. Or…well, for a lot of reasons, actually. They don’t always eat, but when they do…it’s usually cookies.

I know. What was I thinking, right? But as with most of the weirdness that occasionally crops up in this series, I blame this on Damian. He’s the one who started it, after all. Right before my eyes, right there in the first chapter of the first book, before I had any idea what he was doing (and before I had the sense to stop him) he morphed from being an alpha-male, cross-dressing diva, into Suzie Homemaker. It went something like this…

The disgruntled guests filed slowly out through the doorways. Armand was among the last to leave. The parting glance he shot in Damian’s direction was filled with seething animosity. Julie stiffened in alarm, but Damian appeared not to notice.

Finally they were alone. Damian sighed as he let go of their wrists. Reaching for the tiny strings that fastened his kimono he drew the garment around himself and secured it in place. “Now, then,” he said as he threw an arm around each of their shoulders and propelled them from the room. “Let’s go down to the kitchen and have something to eat while we talk, shall we?” Drawing them both even closer, he pressed a kiss against the side of each of their heads. “I baked cookies. Who wants chocolate chip?”

That throw-away line at the end of the scene—it seemed so innocent at the time. How was I supposed to know it would haunt me through the next several books? In , which releases this week, we even flashback to Damian’s first attempt at baking.

“What kind of cookies are we making?” Julie asked cautiously. “Are they good? Will I like them?”

“I hope so, chica. I bought enough ingredients to make several kinds, so I’m sure at least one of them will suit you. I thought we’d make chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin and peanut butter and something called Snickerdoodles—although possibly not all of them tonight.”

Julie giggled. “Snickerdoodles? That’s funny. Why’s it called that?”

Damian shrugged. “I have no idea, niña. But they’re made with both sugar and cinnamon so I’m sure they must be very tasty.”

Ah, those were the days…

It’s been fun exploring the softer side of such deadly, centuries-old creatures; watching the always-in-control vamps lose it over babies; re-inventing family life in the 1970s from the perspective of blood-sucking night-walkers. And, of course, there were also the cookies. You really can’t go too wrong with those.

“Cookies?” Georgia sounded confused. Suzanne looked up again to find the other woman regarding her curiously. “How sweet. Tell me, did you make those yourself?”

Suzanne nodded. “Well, mostly. Armand helped.”

“Did he?” Georgia arched one eyebrow at him. “You bake, Armand? I’m astonished.”

“Oui. I astonish myself, at times.”

In honor of this obsession (and Ashes release, of course) I’m running a contest. And, you guessed it, the prize is cookies—a lovely gift-pack from the Pacific Cookie Company.

So tell me, do you like reading about food in books, or do you find it too distracting? And what’s your favorite type of cookie?

PG Forte inhabits a world only slightly less strange than the ones she creates. Filled with serendipity, coincidence, love at first sight and dreams come true…it also bears an uncanny resemblance to Berkeley, California.

She wrote her first serialized story when she was still in her teens. The sexy, ongoing adventure tales were very popular at her oh-so-proper, all girls, Catholic High School, where they helped to liven up otherwise dull classes. Even if her teachers didn’t always think so.

You can connect with her at: 

her Website - Blog -  -  - Goodreads

P.G. is giving away a lovely gift-pack from the Pacific Cookie Company to a lucky reader!

To be entered fill out the Rafflecopter form below and answer P.G.'s question: Do you like reading about food in books, or do you find it too distracting? And what’s your favorite type of cookie?

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on 31 May 2013!

The Gift Card Giveaway

There is a grand prize of a $75 USD gift card to the winner's online retailer!

To be entered fill out the Rafflecopter form below and tell us: Do you like reading about food in books, or do you find it too distracting? And what’s your favorite type of cookie?

Good Luck!