Melody Carlson is one of my favorite authors. I'm so glad this versatile story-teller has a new release out! Read on for an interview with Melody, information about the book, and a way that you can win a copy of Let Them Eat Fruitcake or a $25 gift certifcate to the world-famous Collin Street Bakery. Oh, yeah!

Let's hear from Melody:

What has God been teaching you lately?

It seems like I have to keep learning some lessons over and over again. Particularly patience. I am, by nature, the most impatient person I know. I want it done and I want it done now. And I want it done right…yada-yada. But that’s not how life generally works. And it’s not how God usually works. So I have to continually remind myself to keep my mouth shut, to keep praying, and to JUST WAIT. You’d think I’d have it down by now (hear my impatience there?) but I don’t. I probably never will. I can imagine being 100 years old and on my deathbed, saying, “Okay, God, could you just hurry it up, please?”

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

What a great question. Without a doubt it would be the power to heal. I know a lot of people who are hurting over various things (including mental illnesses, which is always a challenge) I would absolutely love to heal people. And then, of course, give God the credit since he’s the giver of the gifts.

Where are you headed next?

Literally, we’re headed for home in the next day or two (we’re at the beach right now). As far as my writing goes…I’m just finishing up my final Diary of a Teenage Girl book (#16). I’m also working with a producer in Hollywood who’s enthusiastically pitching some of my books and teen series for TV and movies.

Where did you get the idea for the Let Them Eat Fruitcak?

Having written for teens for nearly a decade, I wondered about my readers who were in their twenties now. I think that’s a hard age these days and I wanted to create something that would speak to that young career woman who’s trying to sort out her life, her values, her friends, her faith…. I think fiction is a great way to teach truth and my hope was that these 86 Bloomberg Place characters living together under one roof would inspire readers to be better friends, share their faith, and live life more fully.

With which character do you most identify and why?

I’m probably most like Megan, but I’d like to be more like Lelani. Megan can be a bit of a bulldog sometimes, whereas Lelani is kinder and gentler and far more patient. However Megan’s faith is more substantial and she is having an influence in the house. It’s fun watching the characters mature, interact, become stronger friends, and figure out what’s important in life.

Have you had any difficult or confusing relationships like those in the book? How did you handle and what was the result?

Right out of college, I shared a house with three other (very diverse) women. It wasn’t easy and one of the women turned out to be the most difficult person I’d ever come across. Ironically it was on the “mission field” and the women were all Christians…and yet I felt more challenged to love my housemate than I did anyone else in that entire third world country.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they’ll enjoy a few laughs, a peek into the lives of some very human-like characters, and perhaps a spiritual challenge that they’ve found tucked between the lines.

Will we see any of these characters again?

Let Them Eat Fruitcake is the second book in a four book series (86 Bloomberg Place). The next installment is titled Spring Broke and the housemates end up going to Maui, where some mysteries about Lelani’s life are resolved. Also, there is romance and few other surprises. The final book is Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah.

Thanks, Melody!

You can find out more about her and her books at http://melodycarlson.com.

BUY THE BOOK: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1589191064

HERE'S HOW TO WIN THE GIFT CERTIFICATE OR BOOK:

Leave a comment on this post or any other post in the blog tour by 5pm CST on November 21, and you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the Collin Street Bakery. The Collin Street Bakery is world-famous for its - you guessed it - fruitcake and will deliver your baked goods almost anywhere in the world. Readers can enter multiple times by commenting on more than one post (but only one comment per post will be counted).

Also, anyone who leaves a comment on this blog post will be entered to win a copy of Let Them Eat Fruitcake!

Here's the link to the list of all participating bloggers in this tour: http://blogtourspot.com/Carlson-blog-tour/Carlson-blog-tour-stops.