Dana Bate bakes a delicious treat...plus a book giveaway

We're so glad to have Dana Bate back at CLC for a third visit! She recently published her third novel, Too Many Cooks, in the US and to celebrate, Kensington has THREE copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada!

Since Dana's last visit, I had the opportunity to interview her for the Jewish Food Experience. Then the rugelach recipe she shared was selected as a favorite by a local synagogue's sisterhood! She's here today to talk about food as well, and is helping us kick off our "Something Sweet" month!

To learn more about Dana and her books, visit her at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Synopsis of Too Many Cooks:
When Kelly Madigan is offered a job abroad right after reading a letter from her late mother urging her to take more risks, she sees it as a sign. Kelly's new ghostwriting assignment means moving to London to work for Natasha Spencer--movie star, lifestyle guru, and wife of a promising English politician. As it turns out, Natasha is also selfish, mercurial, and unwilling to let any actual food past her perfect lips.

Still, in between testing dozens of kale burgers and developing the perfect chocolate mousse, Kelly is having adventures. Some are glamorous; others, like her attraction to her boss's neglected husband, are veering out of control. Kelly knows there's no foolproof recipe for a happy life. But how will she know if she's gone too far in reaching for what she wants? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Favorite holiday for dessert or candy and favorite dessert or candy from that holiday: 
Thanksgiving...and pie. Any kind of pie. PIE PIE PIE.

Favorite sweet drink: 
Red Jacket strawberry apple juice. Addictive.

Favorite movie involving dessert or candy? 
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! (Waitress is also a great one. Because...PIE.)

Favorite dessert to have at a restaurant: 
Something warm and fruity with ice cream on top (ex: warm apple crumble with a melty scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Favorite kind of muffin: 
The millet muffin from Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia. I love it so much I even worked a version into my second book.

If you could invent a new dessert, what are three must-have ingredients and what would it be called?
For me, a perfect dessert -- the kind of indulgence I dream about -- needs a balance of salty/sweet, creamy/crunchy, and rich/light. There are infinite ingredients that could achieve that balance, but combining toasted/salted nuts, whipped cream, and brown butter with other baking ingredients will almost always result in deliciousness. As for a name...I'm terrible at that kind of thing. Maybe "X-Rated" because it would be that sinfully delicious.

Thanks to Dana for making our mouths water and to Kensington for sharing her latest book with our readers!

~Introduction by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends November 8th at midnight EST.