image: header
image: gownflare

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Spotlight on Camy Tang and Single Sashimi

I'm again one stop along the tour for a big blog tour Camy is doing. And I'm honored to have her on my blog today. Check out her bio below for all the details of this fantastic tour!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CAMY TANG writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away ten boxes of books and 30 copies of her latest release, SINGLE SASHIMI.

SINGLE SASHIMI
by Camy Tang
Published by Zondervan
ABOUT THE BOOK

Drake Yu. Why would Drake call her after … what, five years? Six?

Venus heard in his voice that resonance that was almost a growl, that titanium-hard determination to get what he wanted. And he usually got what he wanted. The voice said: "I want you to work for me."

Not this time… If it was a choice between Drake and McDonald's—she'd choose french fries. She'd never work for him again. It would take an act of God.

Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemesis, approaches Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the offer to become Chief Operating Officer tempts Venus to think the unthinkable.

Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again … except Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy family with a coveted introduction to the most respected investor in the game industry. It's also a short job—only a few months—so Venus won't have to stand Drake's presence for very long.

But one wild youth group, a two-faced assistant, and Grandma's determined match-making threaten to make them both fail—or go insane. With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer, Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful transformation …

Buy Your Copy of Single Sashimi Today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

A friend of mine, Stephanie Quilao, who runs the Back in Skinny Jeans blog, used to work at a company in the video game development industry. Her experiences were the inspiration for Venus's job, although--since it's fiction--Venus comes across a lot worse things than Steph did.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that are theirs and theirs alone?

Each of my heroine's spiritual struggles are mine. I was talking about this with a friend earlier, that often God makes us walk through a particular struggle that we can use in our fiction later, and that makes the characters more authentic--because their problems are based off of my reality. Most of the characters' peripheral and external things are pure fiction, however. This was especially true with Venus, because her personality isn't much like mine and her job was completely out of my experience (I had a lot of research help).

3. If one of your characters were an ice cream flavor, what he/she be and why?

Venus would be pomegranate ice cream, because she's a bit exotic and a bit tart (not very sweet).

4. What themes exist in Single Sashimi that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I hope the reader comes away with the sense that no matter what is happening in their lives, God is in control. And if we keep submitting to him and giving up control, things will eventually work out for our good. He has promised us this.

The theme of loving people who are hard to love--Venus loving her horrible mother--came out as I wrote the scenes, because Venus' mother wasn't quite that awful when I was plotting the story. She got worse when I wrote her scenes, so Venus had to struggle harder to love her and honor her as a parent.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult parts were the technical parts--Venus's job at Oomvid, the situations at Bananaville, the scene in the MoCap studio.

The funnest scenes were the kissing scenes. Especially the first one, for reasons apparent once the reader gets to it. :)

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next novel will be Deadly Intent, a romantic suspense coming out from Steeple Hill's Love Inspired Suspense line. I don't have an official back cover blurb, but here's the one from my proposal:

Massage therapist Naomi Grant could use a massage herself.

With her father at home recovering from a stroke, Naomi is put in charge of the family's elite day spa in Sonoma county. The new responsibilities sit awkwardly on her shoulders, and things only get worse when handsome Dr. Devon Knightley breezes into the spa, demanding to see one of the female clients.

And the woman is found dead in Naomi's massage room.

Suddenly, Naomi is a suspect and her family's spa is shut down. How could God let this awful thing happen?

Devon only needed to see his ex-wife about a family necklace she still hadn't returned, but when she dies and it's discovered that her necklace—his family's necklace—has been stolen, he's the prime suspect.

Naomi and her family's calm faith in this situation baffles him, but he's more than willing to pair with the vivacious massage therapist to try to prove they're both innocent.

However, the real murderer is still in Sonoma ... and their work isn't done yet.

* * * * *

Thank you, Camy, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of Single Sashimi.

And don't forget to visit Camy's site for her HUGE 30-book giveaway. It's an extra chance to win a free book!

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

* * * * *

5 comments:

Camy Tang said...

Thanks for posting the interview, Tiff!
Camy

Cherie J said...

Ooh! Would love to win this. I read the first two books of the series and enjoyed them so I would love to read Venus' story as well. Enjoyed the interview! Camy is such a supercool lady.

windycindy said...

I adore Camy and her books. Please enter me in your delightful book drawing. Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Carolynn said...

I loved the first 2 books in this series and can't wait for this one! Thanks for the chance to win :)
carolynnwald[at]hotmail[dot]com

Tiffany Amber Stockton said...

We have a winner from this drawing and that is:

CINDI!

Congratulations! I have your information and your book will be sent out tomorrow.

Others, check out the interviews on Linda Goodnight, A.K. Arenz, Cathy Gohlke, Siri Mitchell and Leeanna Ellis to see if you've won.

As always, thanks to everyone for your continued support.