Interview with Ennis Smith (A writer with a broad, creative range that stems from a long history in the arts.)

I've known Ennis Smith for almost a decade now. He and I were in the New School MFA program at the same time. He for non-fiction and me for fiction. We both had a couple seminar classes together and were some of the few writers of color in the program. While I wasn't exposed to Ennis's writing directly since we didn't have workshops together I was drawn to him because of his intelligence, easy-going nature, lively attitude, and way with description whenever we entered a class discussion on some of the texts on the syllabus. Ennis and I remained in touch after we graduated and that grew as not only friendship but also critique partners. We regularly exchange work and have brunch with fellow writers and friends in Chelsea.

I was particularly glad that Ennis agreed to do an interview because his writing, as do many of my critique partners, always incites me to improve upon my own work. There's a level of humility with workshop mates where you gain fans for life and wonder "How the hell did they just do that?" Ennis has been instrumental in helping me improve my work and I definitely wanted to present more of his process to others. The memoir he's been working on is one of those texts I cannot wait for him to finish (and tell him this consistently). So I want people to be as jazzed about it and his writing and him as a person as I am.

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Why non-fiction? Perhaps that’s a weird question considering our work tends to guide us, but what aspect of this particular genre did you gravitate to to write your longterm project instead of fictionalizing it or writing it in bits as an epic poem? Perhaps the better question is, why do you want to write a memoir?  

When I was a kid I identified strongly with Superman’s alter ego Clark Kent, to the extent that I used to pretend I was a newspaper reporter. I’d send my friends scurrying around the neighborhood to gather gossip, or anything that looked “suspicious.” In high school, I wrote movie reviews and features for the school newspaper—as a writer, as a person, I’ve always been interested in the known world, the things that surround us every day.

My memoir is about the death of a loved one, but it’s also about my situation in the world: people I’ve encountered, experiences that really branded me. I feel these things choose you, not the reverse. Someone suggested I fictionalize those events and my first thought was, “Why would I want to do that?” The “truth” is hard enough; beyond that I’m not interested in protecting myself, or muddying those waters of thought. I want more clarity, not less.

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What I’ve always admired in your writing is your knack for details, for setting the scene and the world around you so well that the reader is very much centered in it. They can see it. To me these details are your particular strength and something I learn from in terms of my lack of details of space. Have you always been in tune with your environment? If so, does it stem from your acting background?

There’s always a struggle to make sense of things for a reader, which is what I think the primary function of description is. But it’s also about an exploration, about how far you can go in terms of pinning down the experience of something. You learn to ask yourself those grad school questions, like: Is it visual? What does it sound like? Does it smell?  But before that, I’m actually trying to pin it down for me. Later comes the playing with, the finding variety, and the search for some fresh terminology, which isn’t that much of an effort. Everyone has a frame of reference that’s distinctly their own—the trick is to be brave enough to share that with the reader.

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In grad school you may remember there was a divide between genres, mainly in the workshop sense. Do you think this divide is necessary? Outside of the MFA environment and even conferences there tends to be the need to read as much as possible, to learn and gain inspiration and ideas from various avenues. Do you find that you get just as inspired by non-fiction as fiction and poetry or dance or visual art?

I feel the "how" of approaching those genres are, or should be the same. Give me interesting sentences. Give me wit—take those elements, be they made up, or reportorial, and tell me a story. I tend to think there’s nothing new under the sun: other writers have had to tackle the mechanics just as we are now. Models are good, they show us another way, or at least give us hope, that we will find the solutions to whatever writers wrestle with.

I remember one of our professors, Robert Polito, who emphasized the importance of cross-pollination. How is a written scene like a movie, for instance? Can you abstract a piece of writing like a painter? What every medium of art shares is the story it has to tell—it’s only the tools we use that are different. I try to see as much art as I can. I love theater and film, and I also read a lot. Aside from Shakespeare, poetry is the hole in my education I’ve been trying to patch; fiction is a particular pleasure, always has been, but it’s only been since grad school that I’ve tried to take writing apart and figure out how it works. I do it reluctantly, though, for fear it’ll ruin my experience of reading—it’s hard to surrender as a reader if you’re analyzing, and I enjoy giving myself up to a story.

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What was it like for you to get your first acceptance for a piece and see it in published form? Did you feel legitimized in a way? Like, “Yes! I am a writer!” Were there tears of joy? Or a pressure to continue to produce? Sometimes I just have to reread some things that are in print or acceptances to residencies, especially after receiving rejections to know that someone does actually get what I do.

With the arts criticism I’ve written it wasn’t so much the pleasure of being published than it was that I was getting paid a tiny amount. I’m always thinking, “it could’ve been better,” so when something makes it into print it’s a happier experience for my family and friends than for me. The first time was unexpected: I submitted “The Super with the Toy Face” out of frustration because a writing teacher told me it was lacking. I didn’t expect it to wind up in a book. When you tinker with something too long, you start to feel as if you’ll never finish it, something I’m going through now. That was a lesson—sometimes others have issues with your work that have more to do with them than with what you’ve written.

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Let’s talk about process. What’s yours? Is it sporadic? Consistent? Scheduled? Has it changed a lot over the years? For me it’s rarely ever as consistent as I’d like it to be. And I know for all of us working or seeking out work things can get even more convoluted when it comes to our art, an often unpaid venture.

Lately I feel I’m bouncing all over the place, because there’s so much I’d like to do.  I have a big project I’ve been chasing for years, a memoir, and I go back and forth on it.  But there are also smaller pieces I’d like to do. Part of it is feeling inspired—part of it is not wanting to sit down and work until you have a definite plan. I work best when I have a draft of something. Usually the ideas I want to explore are there in some form. It’s tragic—I can go weeks without laying anything down and feel tremendous guilt about it.  And there are times when I can sit for days and hours with something, even if every word I type feels as if I’m going off the rails. I set deadlines, which sometimes helps, though not always. Schedules are hard for all of us—I’m teaching, so my students pull me away. Chasing paying work is another distraction that can’t be helped. I write when I can, even if it’s just notes about something I’m interested in.

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Having lived in NYC there’s a sense, in your writing, that it’s home for you. Do you consider NYC, specifically Harlem, your home outside of your hometown in Ohio? Is NYC such a part of your work that you couldn’t imagine being anywhere else? Or are there times you long to leave here?

From the moment I sprang from the womb, I feel that I’ve been yearning for a place like NYC, or someplace like it. Especially growing up gay and in a family where you didn’t feel like your thoughts were validated, you wonder if they’ll be a time, a place in your life where it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly holding your breath. That was what the Midwest felt like—Sinclair Lewis nailed its peculiar sense of societal oppression, that pressure to conform, that’s still rife there. NYC kind of leads by example; you meet so many people and all of them are doing their own thing, which gives you permission to be yourself. It’s very much home, and even though I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived anywhere, I’m still getting to know it; I love that I haven’t cracked it yet, that there are still discoveries to be made.

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Your website focuses on many things, but often I notice the obituaries you post, specifically for figures in the arts be it in theater, film, dance. What strikes you to do these posts rather than focus on more personal items or use it as a journal like some may use an online platform for?

An undergrad professor who’d read some of what I’d written told me that as a writer my subject was loss. (No one had defined it before.) Even if I don’t sit with the intention of writing about loss, it always comes out that way, so I guess it’s an obsession of mine. As a former theater major, the course that impressed me the most was theater history. You found out about all these people who’d done it before, these innovators. It broke my heart that I’d never get to meet them and even now, a similar feeling occurs whenever I read the obits. I find out about people who’ve done amazing things, some of which have had a tremendous impact on our lives, and the first time I’m hearing about them is after they die. How whacked is that? It’s a selfish interest—my friends think I’m macabre. How is it that I find dead people’s lives more fascinating than those who are currently alive? I’m still working that out, but there’s an Armistad Maupin quote that moves me because it’s so true: “Missing people and wanting them back—that’s the price we pay for being alive.”

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Thanks so much, Ennis, for the interview. See you at brunch soon!

Interview with @IvyBakery (Celebrating 13 years of butter gooies, cupcakes, and a growing menu for a great bakery in lower Manhattan.)

I got my first taste of Ivy Bakery from my Pie Party a couple years ago. Someone brought the buttermilk pie, which I had heard tons about. When I tasted it it was creamy deliciousness and I added Ivy Bakery to my list of "must try" bakeries. I started following Daniellan Louie on social media and had heard about her anniversary event last year, unable to attend I was all ears for the next event. But a few weeks later Hurricane Sandy landed with a vengeance and many businesses were hit, especially those in lower Manhattan. I kept updated with anything Daniellan may need and was glad to hear of the patronage and aid from those in the community and throughout NYC. I also brought some canned pumpkin her way since it was unavailable and couldn't help but indulge in her butter gooies and pumpkin goods while there. Daniellan was so sweet and she puts a lot of effort to expand Ivy Bakery's menu and atmosphere to be a welcomed spot for everyone. There are games along with sweet & savory treats for purchase, so you can just lounge and absorb the homey atmosphere as well as the lovely aromas coming from each and every homemade good Daniellan presents. Ivy Bakery is one of those NYC gems that I hope you've already discovered or will.

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What inspired Ivy Bakery and the items you make? On your website you say “(an) experience at Ivy Bakery is a journey back home, when things were less complicated, less processed, and just tasted real and good.” Many of the bakers I’ve spoken to mentioned a deep connection to home, family, and comfort when it came to their decision to focus on baking full-time and this seems to be the aim when customers taste your goods as well.

I really just like to cook/bake, feed people, and always wanted to create a place where people felt comfortable, safe, and relaxed. You could come in your pj's or in a suit and feel at ease. Walking into my shop should feel like walking into your past when the smell of fresh baked cookies put a smile on your face. I'm not looking to force those ideas of home, family, and comfort on people, it just seems to arise when people experience my desserts.

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You are a baking Super Woman with a capital ‘S’. Whenever I see your Facebook posts it seems like you’re a one-woman baking/business machine. There’s private and group baking sessions, custom orders, paleo dinners, parties, Saturday lockdown, and so much that you do for Ivy Bakery. How does it all work out for you in terms of the events, baking, publicity, etc.?

Thanks. Yes I do a lot because I want to offer a lot. There are days where it's great and a buzz is generated and our classes are filled. And there are other days when not a soul walks in or signs up. I don't think Ivy Bakery has gotten to that point even after 13 years where we're a city name. [We're] still a hidden gem in the concrete jungle and if you're lucky you'll come across it. Personally though, I am exhausted but I enjoy what I do. Other than traveling, eating, and learning new skills, there's nothing more I would rather do than be in a kitchen.

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Happy Anniversary! I can’t wait for the party this Saturday! Thirteen years is a huge achievement for any business. Ivy Bakery started out in your kitchen, moved to Bay Ridge, and is now in SoHo. Did you imagine you’d end up in Manhattan when you started Ivy Bakery? What changes do you have in store for Ivy in terms of savory & sweet items as well as continuing to branch out in NYC and perhaps the tri-state area?

Thanks, again! I can't wait either, it's tomorrow and there's still a lot of work to be done. I'm a tad discouraged only because it happens to be a holiday and in general a bad weekend where most people already have plans. However if it's a light show, I'll still be okay as I would hope that those that do attend have a great time and eat well. My annual cupcake contest is still in the air as not enough people have signed up. We MAY have to post pone it and hold it during our Halloween Party.

I always knew I would return to Manhattan, that is after all where I started it. I've always envisioned [Ivy Bakery] in Manhattan but at 18, with every realtor looking at you like a joke, there was no way I was going to be able to get or afford a space. So I opened the first store front in Brooklyn. We're working on more dietary selections such as vegan and paleo options. We already have a great line of gluten-free items that can be custom ordered. Definitely try my gluten-free honey cake, cookies, and rainbow cookies, OMG! The 600+ menu is on constant rotation so do note that flavors may come and go, but you can always order for special events or parties.

I will also be focusing on more events and dinner parties, or parties in general as I prefer to host a gathering. Perhaps meetups could take place in the space, that would be pretty awesome. My ultimate goal though or my new dream is to get myself in a position where I can travel, teach, bake, cook, learn, and of course eat. However, it seems difficult without selling yourself out to some overly dramatic reality TV show. I'm not about that, though I have been invited many times. I'll find a different way. Perhaps my own show on YouTube, hah!

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Hurricane Sandy was a big hit for many, especially for local businesses (particularly ones in lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, Staten Island, Long Island, and Queens.) What pushed you to persevere during this time? There seemed to be support from locals in the area and Ivy Bakery fans.

Hurricane Sandy... what can I say, it put me in a really bad position, it was my first true holiday season at the new space in SoHo, we had a huge Halloween party planned with food trucks, sponsors, etc, the works! And all of it got cancelled as well as being closed without power for over a week and spoilage of all finished products and inventory. Not a dime back from any emergency loans or insurance. I was denied everything. As much as the media would have liked to say the city helped small businesses, it absolutely did not for myself or many other business owners I know. You and I, and small neighborhood organizations are the ones who should get any credit for really trying to generate business back into the community. I had some amazing customers who volunteered to drive me to the shop when the bridges reopened to check on the damages. I also had some customers who brought in eggs and canned goods to help restock the shop when everyone was fighting at the markets to replenish their lost inventory. They are why I persevered because I had to get back on my feet, reopen, shrug it all off, and keep going for amazing people.

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You’ve catered at many corporate and individual events and Ivy Bakery has had a presence at the NYC Wine & Food Festival. But, if someone is going to remember Ivy Bakery for one item, what would you want them to think of as  your signature? Would it be the buttermilk pie or butter gooie bars (my personal fave) or some of your savory items?

I would say the buttermilk pie as it's what I always push and should be remembered for. It's symbolic for classic traditional southern sweets which I emphasize. However, I bake comfort sweets and eats from around the world. Second would be my tres leches cups, which are my personal flavor and I think third due to current popularity would be the butter gooies.

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Beyond Facebook, Twitter, and your Paleo blog are there other social media outlets that people can find out more and/or keep tabs on Ivy Bakery?

Yes, definitely Instagram if you like looking at food/dessert porn. I'll try to get back to YouTube eventually. It's a social juggling act, I try to make myself available on most, but there's just never enough time or energy to get it all done. Sorry, Pinterest. lol

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Thanks so much, Daniellan for the interview and looking forward to the big celebratory bash tomorrow (all-day).

A Chat with Amy Christine Parker and GATED Giveaway

You may recognize Amy's name from my post last year thanking my YA critique partners (CPs). But more than likely you recognize Amy Christine Parker's name because her suspense YA debut GATED is due out from Penguin Random House next week and has been getting great reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus. Yay, Amy! Amy and I met on WriteOnCon via a kind of "match up" where you read someone's synopsis on a forum, requested to see more, and then you switched work. If you liked each others writing and found the feedback was helpful BOOM you had yourself a connection. Amy was one of the first people I connected with and I am so, so very thankful for that.

JENN: So, what stuck out to me about Gated was the first line (Shoot to kill, okay) What?!? I was all over it as soon as I read it. And then I kept reading it and you sorted out concerns that we had discussed and perhaps you discussed with Krystalyn and Stefanie as well but what I admired (what I additionally admired) was that you were able to zero in on this stuff and get it done so fast! 

AMY: I remember when we met thinking that I loved the way you critiqued. You were just the queen of finding all my inconsistencies. I was beyond excited that I was able to snatch you up! And thanks for thinking that I’m compartmentalizing so well!

JENN: You compartmentalize your time not just as a writer but as a reviewer as well. As a full-time mom and writer and doing everything you do from participating in activities with your kids/their school and reading others work and trying to find time for yourself and your husband it can be so much. That balance is crucial.

AMY: Truth be told I think I spend most days juggling everything like mad and hoping I don’t drop too many balls. Balance isn’t really achieved so much as I make my writing a priority no matter what. I wanted to be a writer--specifically a published writer--so badly that I literally let go of every unnecessary chore/obligation/frivolous time wasting thing that I could. My house is rarely entirely clean. My kids eat takeout just about as often as they get a home cooked meal. The laundry piles up. The balance thing is an ongoing goal I hope to one day come close to achieving. But even if I never do, I’m happy because I’m doing something that I love every single day and my family is happy because I’m much better at being a mom and wife now that I’ve allowed myself to go after my dreams.

JENN: I also realized when reading Gated how specific and unique the story was. This was a story that wasn't being told and could actually happen which upped the creep factor exponentially and it's telling as well that Penguin Random House has so much faith in the story itself but also your writing. Perhaps as writers we kind of zero in on what scares us because there's an internal thrill to it that we can control. When I was a kid my mom had A LOT of Stephen King books. So I read that. And I got into R.L. Stine from there and read some Anne Rice as a teen. I was growing out of BSC and Sweet Valley High/University to reading The Stand. So my mom's taste definitely influenced my own for awhile as I was growing up and lead to me writing this horror story I wrote in high school called "Terror at Bowne." I even did a sequel.

AMY: Stephen King was huge for me growing up, especially his short stories. I was a fairly shy kid and spent tons of time hiding out in the library at school. Uncle Stevie’s books were the ones I pulled off the shelves to keep me company. The short stories were perfect because I could devour them in one library session. To this day, his short stories are what have stuck with me most out of all that I read as a kid and probably had the biggest influence on what I choose to write now. Although...there were also these creepy story records I used to listen to with my cousins when I was really little (yes, I am that old, I had vinyl records AND 8 track tapes). I forget almost everything about the stories on those records, but I will never forget the sounds and the tone of the people’s voices as they told the stories. It made my hair stand on end and afterwards I would have the worst time sleeping. After every “up all night” session I had I’d swear off listening to them, but then I could never actually make myself do that and before long I’d be listening to them all over again. Scary stories have always, always been my favorites which is funny I guess, because my mom is much more of a sci fi/fantasy reader who likes things to stay light. When I tell her my latest ideas, she’s always a little freaked out! She’s wondered out loud more than once where my fascination comes from. I think for me it isn’t so much a thrill I can control, but more of a way of explaining evil and how it works to my readers and maybe most often, to myself. I think on some level maybe I’m looking to understand it so I can see it coming in people or situations and avoid it...but really, on the surface I think it’s mainly that I find scaring and being scared to be a lot of fun!

Obviously you know that now I’m completely curious about your “Terror at Bowne” story. You’ll have to dig it out and send it to me!

THE GIVEAWAY

Amy is being super generous by offering up a GATED prize pack with her debut's release! See the pictures of the items below. Ohhh. Ahhh.

Now that we're done with the admiration here's how you can enter. Via the Rafflecopter below. This prize pack will only be sent to those who reside in the U.S., sorry. And you have 2 weeks to enter. So spread the word. Add GATED to your TBR pile and follow Amy while she preps for some touring and updates on her site and more of her work on Fiction Femme Fatale.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with @ZugarHaus' Shay (A self-taught baker utilizing rich ingredients to invoke love, quality, and care in her desserts.)

My introduction to Zugar Haus was at last year's NYC Bake Sale. Shay stopped by to drop of her donation of shortbread sandwich cookies and was mindful to also provide some samples. Well, upon trying her samples I snatched up some of her goods and fell in love with her shortbread cookies, particularly the cinnamon guava which I rave about. Shay is a local baker--and I love meeting local bakers and purchasing their goods to support them. Her product is refined and definitely brings to mind a sense of class, care, and childhood with each bite. In tasting more of Shay's goods and looking at the unique ingredients and mixtures she compiles for her desserts I found I was even more intrigued by her experimental nature and how successful it was when blended into a confection. So I am super psyched to have interviewed Shay (and to be her first interview), which boggles my mind because Zugar Haus is a great find and I hope people catch on to how great her cookies are...quick!

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Some of the bakers/confectioners I’ve interviewed weren’t happy until they followed a path that included food. Having changed course to pursue the creation of Zugar Haus do you feel like you, and in general many of us, tend to have a strong connection to food?

My mom told me that I showed creativity at a very early age, which is quite true. I was that weird kid that walked around with a sketchbook in hand and colored pencils in my back pocket. Drawing, sketching, and painting made me happy, but when I learned how to sew…forget it! I was hooked!

I was off to the Fashion Institute of Technology and never looked back. Until, I realized I felt the most creative when I was in the kitchen breaking all the “rules” when it came to flavor combinations. But the bigger joy was sharing my baked goods with loved ones.

One birthday cake request snowballed into many others.  I really enjoyed creating something new with each request.  Hence, Zugar Haus was born. My goal is to convey my childhood memories to everyone in each bite with a little twist.

[I think] people have a strong connection with food because it’s intertwined with family and fond memories. It’s all about nostalgia! The greatest compliment someone can give you is “Oh, this birthday cake reminds me of grandma’s cake.”

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This may be a silly/obvious question: Is Zugar Haus translated in English ‘Sugar House’? Does this stem from your family's heritage? On your site it says you’ve had spaetzle and pate which have European origins and the items on Zugar Haus’ menu, particularly shortbread, also have European connections.

To be completely honest with you when I registered my domain, I accidently misspelled sugar in German which is zucker. So, zugar was accidently born and Zugar Haus stayed. But yes, the translation is Sugar House.

I was born in Brazil to a family with strong European values. One side of my family is French and Italian. The other side is German and Brazilian-Native American. So, to say the least, I grew up with a mixture of different foods, flavors, traditions, and languages.

My childhood memories of food stem mostly from the German side of my family. My great aunt and great grandfather were a huge influence in my love for food. I chose Zugar Haus in memory of my great aunt. Going to her house was a treat! As soon as you arrived you were greeted by the sweet aromas of the most delicious cookies, breads, and jams in her kitchen. She was an angel.

I wanted my business name to represent her and her love of food. She reminds me of happy times and comfort. As we rolled, baked and ate cookies she taught me the sense of quality, care, and love that goes into food and its preparation.

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Your shortbread cookies have a great consistency. I like to call it a kind of “buttery crisp” which is attributed to most shortbread but there is a great balance with your sandwich cookies, particularly the cinnamon guava (love!). Shortbread tends to be a bit delicate, especially when it comes to shipping, so why did you choose to make these cookies one of your focuses at Zugar Haus? I know when I ship items to friends I practically mummify these items in saran wrap.

I’m so glad you enjoy our Cinnamon Guava Shortbread! And yes, shortbread cookies are definitely delicate.

When I first started shipping I was completely horrified when I received an email from a customer about their cookies arriving smashed. And unfortunately, I have no control over what happens to the box once it’s shipped, but it’s still embarrassing and horrifying.

Our Cinnamon Guava Shortbread represents me and my business. Shortbread is a traditional European cookie and guava is a tropical fruit that grows like crazy in Brazil. It’s used in everything from sweet to savory dishes. If I had to choose a cookie to represent who I am, it would definitely be this one: traditional with a tropical twist. So, I couldn’t remove shortbread cookies from my list of baked goods.

The answer to this conundrum was to bubble wrap the heck out of everything!

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Are there any plans to expand Zugar Haus within the tri-state area?

Unfortunately, there are no plans to expand at the moment. I do plan to open a spot in the near future. [fingers crossed] My dream is to open a coffee/tea house with an attached art gallery to feature local artists. I want a place that combines my love of art and food. I truly believe that they go hand in hand.

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Are there seasonal flavors you’ll be employing as we transition from spring to summer? You had a great array of flavors for Valentine’s Day with a mixture of chocolate and rose and lavender also having marshmallows and citrus was an interesting variety. What inspired the holiday box and what else do you have in store?

We are transitioning flavors as we speak. We recently pulled our Brown Sugar Pepita Sablés with Spiced Ganache, Toasted Oatmeal Cranberry Shortbread, and our Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle, but don’t worry they’ll be back next fall/winter season.

We recently posted our Orange Lavender Oatmeal Shortbread. We are bringing back our Strawberry Lemon Thyme Shortbread and will be posting our Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows since they were a big hit for Valentine’s Day.

Our Valentine’s Day Gift Box was inspired by romance. And there’s nothing more romantic then chocolate, berries, and flowers. I wanted the box to feature different textures and flavors, but still complement each other. I thought that our Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry, Chocolate Dipped Lavender Orange Sablés Hearts, and Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows whimsically represented an edible romantic gift.

By the way at the moment, we are testing a few new flavors for Father’s Day. Think smoky, chocolate, and whiskey. Perfect for dads.

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The Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry Jam (still dreaming about it) I had from the Valentine’s Day box was super rich! It definitely held up more than anything I have ever tasted and my coworkers agreed. How do you find that balance when it comes to rich and organic flavors and especially perfecting that texture! Not asking for any trade secrets, but it was uncanny how intricate everything was.

Thanks, Jenn, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the Chocolate Cassis Sablés with Raspberry Jam! They were also a big hit for Valentine’s Day alongside the Hibiscus Rose Marshmallows. I’m thinking about making them a permanent cookie instead of a seasonal cookie.

My inspiration comes from everywhere; sometimes places I visited, combinations of flavors in savory foods, and at times random places. For example, this past autumn, my husband and I were munching on some roasted pumpkin seeds and blurted out, “How good would these be in a cookies with a pumpkin ganache?!” The next day I headed straight into the kitchen until I had the correct flavors and our Brown Sugar Pepita Sablés with Spiced Ganache was born.

I’m a self-taught baker, so I find the mixing of flavors and aromas quite cathartic. Most would think that rosemary, cornmeal, and sea salt doesn’t belong in a cookie or that hibiscus blooms don’t belong in a marshmallow, well it does in my world!

I was never taught flavor rules or had guidelines to follow. It’s all about trial and error with me.

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Beyond the Zugar Haus website, Facebook and Twitter pages where else can people find you online or in-person? Are there any events you'll be catering people should be on the lookout for?

Right now, our cookies and other confections are just available on our website, Etsy, and Wedzu. But besides cookies, we also cater desserts for parties and weddings. I’m so excited about an upcoming party. One of the desserts I will be making is Vanilla Bean & Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Viola Frosting. I love creating specialty desserts for people!

We are always trying new things to expand and branch out to new customers. So, keep a lookout for us this summer and follow us on social media because we might be coming to your local fleas and food markets soon.

Thanks so much, Shay, for taking the time to let us know how Zugar Haus contributes to your roots and creativity! I cannot wait for fall so I can get my hands on those pumpkin cookies.

Interview with Fiction Femme Fatale's Krystalyn Drown (Two Debuts in One Year!)

Writer, entertainer, and all-around cool lady (all Joss Whedon fans are cool by default), Krystalyn Drown just pubbed her first book this year (Legasea) with Curiosity Quills. Legasea is about a young girl, Aileen, who uncovers mysteries in her town, about her family, and her connection to the sea after a dead body shows up during a party at the bay. Krystalyn will be doing giveaways on her blog & Fiction Femme Fatale in honor of Legasea's publication so check both sites for more info. Krystalyn's next book, Spirit World (due out in April from Entranced Publishing's Blush imprint) is a paranormal romance where Riesa has the power to communicate with spirits yet she keeps this hidden due to a trip to a mental institution and a general discomfort to the truth of her abilities.

I was introduced to Krystalyn when I joined Fiction Femme Fatale last summer. I've thoroughly enjoyed Krystalyn's work on Fiction Femme Fatale. Her short fiction has heart and drive. She's great with developing her world and giving her characters motivation for a larger desire. Really good stuff. So I'm especially excited for her full length novels and am particularly psyched to have had an interview with Krystalyn in honor of her first publication of 2013.

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In your reflections on 2012 (on your blog) you noted that you had two completed manuscripts (Legesea and Spirit World) you weren’t submitting the traditional publishing route, were you thinking of self publishing? And if so, why?

I have researched self-publishing, but decided that it wasn't for me. Not yet, anyway. I wanted the experience of working with an editor, and to tell the truth, I'm quite an introvert. I just don't have the gumption required to promote myself in the way that would be required for self-publishing.

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This may be a daunting question, but what’s your writing schedule like? Is it pretty free wheeling or scheduled? In speaking to other writers, especially emerging ones, this is one of the hardest parts. When you have kids, have a full-time or part-time job, have various commitments it can be really hard to find that notch of time to focus on your creative pursuits. How do you find you’ve done with this balance?

My writing schedule is this: squeeze it in when I can. =) I am a terrible procrastinator, but I do manage to find some down time every now and then to get some new words in. I use mornings when my son is eating or playing by himself to do the business side of things like blogs and responding to publishers, but I have to have quiet if I want to draft or revise anything. I do have at least one dedicated hour a week (8-9 on Mondays). A bunch of us meet here http://tinalaurellee2.blogspot.com/ to write, then chat about it afterwards. Anyone is welcome to join us. I also have my sister. We do writing challenges that last days or weeks. We text and bug each other. "What's your word count?" "Are you writing?"

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Much of your work that I’ve seen on Fiction Femme Fatale and your upcoming book Spirit World have paranormal elements in it. What attracts you to writing paranormal stories or ones with fantastical elements?

I've always been a fan. When I was little, I watched a lot of Nickelodeon (you know, back when it was sci-fi). My afternoons were filled with the Tomorow People and this series they had called The Third Eye. That one showed British and Australian serials like The Haunting of Cassie Palmer, Children of the Stones, and Under the Mountain. I read a lot of Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators books, but I always changed Bob's name to Beth, because I wanted to feel like I was part of the story. I'm also a huge fan of Star Trek: TNG, Doctor Who, and anything by Joss Whedon.

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Whether one’s work does have fantastical, sci-fi, or other elements within it many times readers consider whether there are autobiographical elements in a writer’s work. Are there traces of you or others you know in your characters or your experiences in the stories you’ve written?

Always. In Spirit World, Riesa loves watching bad sci-fi. So do I. Give me a giant something vs. a mega something, a coke, and some jelly beans, and I've got an afternoon of fun. Might I also recommend Titanic 2 and 2010: Moby Dick. In Legasea, I draw from my experiences boating with my family.

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When you look at a blank page, whether it be on screen or in a notebook, do you feel excitement? Trepidation? Inspiration? Or a multitude of these feelings?

It really depends on the mood I'm in at that particular moment. If I'm in a productive mood and have a vague idea of what I'm going to write, then I'm excited. But there are also times it can be very daunting.

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You have not one but two books coming out this year! Major congrats! How are you feeling about having your debuts come out in the same year and what would be your ideal way of connecting with readers for these stories?

I'm very excited about having two books come out this year. Last year at this time, I was a pool of mushy goo, because I had started to think this publishing thing would never happen for me. Now, I'm a pool of mushy nervousness. I have multiple ways of connecting with readers. I have a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads accounts, and I try to update them all equally.

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In terms of the industry do you think the increase of e-book only imprints and the popularity of self-publishing seem like a boom for writers, especially new ones, and getting more books out to the public?

I think it definitely provides more opportunity. Previously, if you had good work, but agents or publishers deemed the market flooded with that genre, you were out of luck. Now, with the option of going with a small press or self-publishing, people still have a chance to get their work out there. But I still think that people need to go through all of the steps, revising, getting good feedback, and polishing before seeking out publication. I can read my manuscript a thousand times, but there will always be an "it's" or a "doesn't" in there that I haven't caught. And commas, oh they are the bane of my existence.

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Congrats on Legasea, Krystalyn. And (virtual) cheers to continued success!