Mickie Sherwood, Author of 'Louisiana Hot Sauce'

Scribal Love Welcomes Mickie Sherwood


Mickie Sherwood is an author of contemporary romance.  Her new work is available from Red Rose Publishing. 

Hi, Clare. Thanks for allowing me to share with your readers.   I thought I’d ask them the first questions.


Readers, how would you differentiate between erratic behavior and survival mode?   Have you ever been thrown for a loop and didn’t know which way to turn?   What did you do?   You probably adjusted your attitude to overcome the circumstances of the moment.


If that’s true, then I want to introduce you to a kindred spirit.


Meet Mesha Rayburn.  She’s smart, sassy and apt to change her hairstyle on a whim to match her mood.   The only thing she requires is something Jack Connolly refuses to allow—SOLITUDE.

Mesha’s saucy attitude masks a horrible secret.   Can Jack unveil the sweetness within?

Blurb:


     Reclusive Mesha Rayburn's safe haven disintegrated when athletic Jack Connolly raced into her life.   He was like an uninvited guest to her pity party.   Yet, his brashness stoked her dormant emotions and injected spunk into her veins with every bated word.   And—calling the cinnamon-skinned Black woman "biggety" didn't help matters.




     Mechanic Jack Connolly thought the trip down South to patch up and retrieve the bullet-ridden helicopter would be a pain. He never imagined the rhetoric becoming reality.   But, thanks to Mesha's panicked outcry, it had.   The pain radiating in his palm bothered him less than the one in his rear.   Bold and beautiful, he had to know why she hid out in the boonies. As her transient tenant, he intended to find out at the risk of feeling the sting of her Louisiana Hot Sauce temper.




What is the name of your latest book?  And how did you come up with the title? 


The title of my pride and joy is Louisiana Hot Sauce. It’s my debut novel.   One reason I chose that title is because part of my love story is set in Louisiana where the flavor is always hot and spicy, whether it’s the weather, the food or the people.   The other reason for the title is to focus attention on Mesha’s hot and saucy attitude.


Mesha and Jack’s first meet:


     Burped, fed, and ready to play, Mya was placed on a pallet spread out on the floor.  Mesha sat cross-legged before her, the laptop screen staring at her like a big-eyed specter waiting to steal her thoughts.  Writer’s block seemed an inevitable outcome to the looming deadline for her latest manuscript.  Too many distractions pulled her in too many directions.  Her lids fluttered rapidly as her eyes magnetized to the cursor’s hypnotizing blink.  Her descent into oblivion, merely a few seconds in length, was substantial enough to jerk her awake in such a terrorized state she launched upwards and rocketed outside.


     “Jack!” Her terrified shriek rent the air as she bolted blindly, thinking she had left her dog out too long. “Jack!”


     “Sonofabitch!” a man’s voice thundered as tools thudded to the ground at his feet. 


     The man repairing the helicopter missed his intended mark, stabbing the screwdriver into the fleshy part of his palm when he heard the panicked screams.  Gushing blood required him to apply pressure to the area with the work rag as he bent his tall body to clear the undercarriage of the craft.  The person he witnessed lurching towards him resembled a wild woman—one who teetered on the edge of sanity—as she zipped through the open field, thick hair flying every which way, evidently unaware of his presence.


     “What?” he yelled while sprinting in her direction.   Suddenly, he saw her cut away and make a beeline for the house.


     He gave chase. 


What is Louisiana Hot Sauce about? 


It’s a multicultural romance about love’s magnetism. It’s about two strangers who find that sometimes the heart betrays the brain’s wishes.  It’s about Mesha and Jack as they learn to take a chance on each other.   She strives to escape torturous memories from her adolescence that always thrusts her into unwarranted limelight.   He struggles to shed the sting of betrayed love.


Clare, I have to snicker here. I like to say the war those two wage makes this a sweet, zesty read with just the right spice.




What inspired you to write this book? 


That’s an easy question. I like romance that’s a little on the sensual side.   Something that let’s me conjure up a picture in my mind’s eye.   After reading posts on different blogs, I realized I wasn’t the only one who liked a change every now and then.   Now, please, I don’t want readers to take this as a criticism of other multicultural novels.  Because it’s not. Sometimes a Louisiana lady just likes sweet tea instead of the Long Island kind.




Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? 


Everyday living is crammed full of intriguing ideas that are plot worthy. 






What were your feelings when you first saw the cover of the finished product?


I was ecstatic! Missy Lyons took the description I provided and worked wonders. The sweet cover for the enthralling, sweet romance novel depicts the character’s beauty—and that of her surroundings while her heart-fixer hovers nearby. I’m very pleased with the finished product.  

Speaking of the cover, I entered Louisiana Hot Sauce in a cover contest over at YouGottaRead.com.  I’d appreciate it very much if readers would mark their calendars and vote for it between October 21st – October 26th.  Thanks a heap in advance. 


Do you have a specific writing style? 


I’m a panster. I hardly ever sit and plot out a story.  Now, I do fine tune an idea after the panster has laid it all out for me. Mostly though, I yield to the movies in my head when that blockbuster idea wants out.  I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Yes, I said movies in my head.  


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?


Cutting to the chase. I’ve been accused, let’s just say, of loving words. I’m working to remedy that in my future writings. As a matter-of-fact, I have a WIP that I’m whittling on right now. 


How did you deal with rejection letters? 


It’s wasn’t a pleasant feeling to get rejection letters.  But, if I didn’t submit what I believed was my best work, was I not resigning myself to instant defeat.  Now, what I think feels worse is waiting on a response from a submitted work.  I feel knowing one way or the other is better than the silent rejection, especially if the guidelines states to expect an acknowledgement—and you don’t get one—good or bad.




What do you like to do when you're not writing? 


I love cruising. My favorite itinerary is the Southern Caribbean.  But, my all-time favorite cruise was the Panama Canal Zone.  The ship departed from Ensenada, Mexico where it continued its transit through the Panama Canal and docked in Puerto Rico.   It took about ten glorious days.


I like to take on small creative projects around the house. 


I also love snapping pictures.  So, of course, I post some of my treasures on Mickie’s Manor.  I hope readers will take a look.   




What was the first romance book you remember reading? 


The Flame and the Flower, a historical romance. 




What is your favorite romance book? 


The Color of Love was my favorite until Louisiana Hot Sauce came along. (*GBG*) I hope that doesn’t sound conceited. 




Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 


The message is a simple one, Clare.  Step out of your comfort zone, open your heart and cherish love wherever you find it. 


Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to share with your readers.   Louisiana Hot Sauce is available at Red Rose Publishing,  Amazon.com , Fictionwise.com, Allromanceebooks.com, and Bookstrand.com. 


I encourage readers to stop by Mickie’s Manor for a look around and to leave a comment. Also, visit Blazingtrailers.com to enjoy my book trailer.


Happy reading and I hope to hear from some of you real soon.


Thank you Mickie for dropping by!  


You can find Mickie on the web at:  


Official website: www.mickiesherwood.com