Love is What You Bake of It by Effir Kammenou - Book Tour
Love is What You Bake of it by Effie Kammenou
The only love Kally Andarakis is baking is in the form of the sweet treats she whips up in her café, The Coffee Klatch.
Kally never believed herself to be a person worthy of love, but when an intoxicating man she considered out of her league pursues her, she risks everything to be with him. Later, when tragedy strikes, truths are revealed that leave Kally brokenhearted and untrusting.
Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.
Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café…
With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one.
Kally must now decide whether to keep her heart safe or to once again take a ‘whisk on love.’
Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2y2xLvQ
Author Interview
1. If you could tell your younger
writing self anything, what would it be?
I
would tell myself to have more confidence in following my dreams. I wasn’t
assertive when I was younger. That wasn’t a good trait for someone who pursued
a highly competitive career path. I came out of college with a degree in
Theater Arts. Talent was only one component for success. It took perseverance
and a bold attitude that was beyond me. Now, all these years later, I’m forging
ahead in another creative and competitive field. My attitude now is relentless.
There is nothing to fear and nothing to lose.
2. Favorite childhood memory involving
books?
My
father would read to me every night at bedtime when I was very young. I was
with my mother all day, and when my father came home from work, spending time
with him was special. He had a frayed leather-bound book of Aesop’s Fables and
another of The Wizard of Oz. I looked forward to having him read to me each
evening.
3. If you had to describe yourself in
three words, what would they be?
It’s
hard to be objective about myself. The one word I can use to describe myself
for sure is optimistic. After that, friendly and energetic.
4. What’s one movie you like
recommending to others?
It’s
not a movie; it’s a three-part mini-series. The A&E production of Pride & Prejudice starring Colin
Firth is, by far, the best adaptation of the book that I’ve ever seen. Nothing
is omitted or glossed over, a near impossibility for a two- hour movie to
achieve.
5. What
is the first book that made you cry?
Okay,
let me confess. I am sixty-three years old. I have an incredible memory for
events in my life that happened very early on, but I can’t be sure of which
book made me cry first. I will take an educated guess here and say it was
probably either Romeo & Juliet,
or Love Story by Erich Segal.
6. How
long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
It
takes me about a year between the research, revisions, and distractions! The
exception was my first book, Evanthia’s
Gift, which took me almost three years to write. It’s an exceptionally long
book at five-hundred-sixty pages, but that was not the only factor. Research
took up quite a bit of time, as many actual historical events were the backdrop
for the five-decade storyline. In addition, it took many revisions and edits
for Evanthia’s Gift to become an
emotional and unforgettable story for readers.
7. What
are your top 5 favorite movies?
It’s
so hard to choose just five! I like movies that entertain me, not depress me. I
like feel-good movies. It’s a Wonderful
Life, Miracle on 34th Street, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Twenty-Seven
Dresses, The Holiday. The best movie I’ve seen this year is Green Book.
8. Do
you have any advice for aspiring writers?
I would tell them not to rush to publish their
work. I had no idea what I was doing the first time around. I took a lot of
advice from seasoned authors, worked with critique partners and beta readers,
and revised my manuscript a dozen times before handing it over to a
professional editor. I was so sure there would be nothing left to edit at that
point. Was I ever wrong! I revised again based on the editor’s suggestions and
corrections.
If you are self-publishing, you must handle
everything as though it was traditionally published. That means using a
professional editor, cover designer, formatter, and coming up with a marketing
plan.
9. Tell us 10 fun facts about yourself!
·
I tend to write from 9 pm to
2 am. When I finally go to bed, I sometimes jump up with an idea I have to jot
down.
·
Certain parts of my story are
very close to true events that inspired me to write the book.
·
I wish to write the next book
in the series at a cottage by the sea, secluded on a Greek island.
·
My family says I’ve gotten
more “Greek” since writing The Gift Saga.
They might be right.
·
I could live on cheese—any kind. I munch on it at
night while I’m writing, along with a cup of tea.
·
I’ve become less active since
I’ve started writing. I get into a mind zone for hours and I forget to get up
to exercise or stretch.
·
There is definitely a revenge
write my first and second book. But I could have painted the character worse
than I had and it would have been the truth. Hint - Irini!
·
I’m told that I can be
stubborn. I guess that is true.
·
I love to read the steamy
scenes in books, but I find them the most difficult to write.
·
I’m a Disney park lover. I’ve
been to three—Disneyworld (Probably 100 times!), Disneyland, Disney Paris.
Effie Kammenou
Effie Kammenou is a believer that it is never too late to chase your dreams, follow your heart, or change your career. She is proof of that. At one time, long ago, she'd hoped that by her age, she would have had an Oscar in her hand after a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked in the optical field for 40 years while raising her two daughters.
In 2015, three years after the death of her mother from pancreatic cancer, she published her debut novel, Evanthia’s Gift, book one in a women’s fiction, multigenerational love story and family saga, inspired by her mother and her Greek heritage. Kammenou continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her interview with him was published in the nationally circulated magazine Reminisce.
Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 finalist in the Readers Favorite Book Awards. Waiting for Aegina: Book Two in The Gift Saga was awarded finalist status in the 2019 International Book Awards and Chasing Petalouthes, the last book in the trilogy, had also placed in the Readers Favorite Book Awards for the 2018 contest.
Her latest novel, the first book in a new contemporary romance series, is now complete. Love is What You Bake of It, follows Kally's path to independence despite her sometimes stifling family and her tumultuous road to finding love. But it wouldn't be a Kammenou novel without a delve into the past, or the references to mouth-watering foods.
Effie Kammenou is a first-generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing or posting recipes on her food blog, aptly named cheffieskitchen, you can find her entertaining family and friends or traveling for ‘research.’
As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the books for a little extra ‘flavor.’
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.
For updates on promotions, events and new releases, follow Effie on Social media
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