Brenda S. Anderson – Real Life Romance, Character Romance, & Recipe for Romance – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: I’m excited about the release of my awesome critique partner’s 2nd book. Brenda S. Anderson shares insight into her real life romance, her characters romance from her latest women’s fiction release, Pieces of Granite plus a recipe for romance. Comment or answer the question at the end of this post to enter the drawing for an e-book copy. Deadline: Nov 29th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Brenda:
When I was thinking about writing this post, one thing stuck out at me: both my husband and I and the hero and heroine (Debbie & Jerry Verhoeven) in my newest release, met at work and both Debbie and I asked our guys out. But that’s where the similarities end.
I was working temps when I met my husband. I was assigned to his cube to do very *exciting*data entry work. He didn’t realize someone was in his cube until he showed up and his chair was occupied. I remember looking up and seeing this tall, dark, and bespectacled man looking down at me, bewildered.
Well, this tall, handsome man turned out to be really nice. He was intelligent and we shared a love of sports, but beyond that we didn’t talk much. It wasn’t until a week or so after the assignment that my landlady made me call him and ask him out. He hemmed and hawed out an okay, but didn’t get my phone number. That turned out to be a good thing, because he would have cancelled the date if he’d had my number. 27 years later, we and our children are very glad he forgot to get it. 🙂
As for Debbie and Jerry’s story? I’ll let Debbie tell it:
I was working at Brainerd Family Counseling in Minnesota as a licensed marriage and family therapist when I met Jerry. Our administrative assistant had already left for the day when Jerry walked in. The thing was, the door should have been locked because it was after hours. Guess God had other plans in mind. But, I digress.
I was reading a book at our assistant’s desk, my bare feet up on top, the lily tattoo on my ankle displayed, when this gorgeous bald guy—yes I said bald!—walks in, and he’s got that Tony Stark (Iron Man) mustache-goatee thing going. Can you say sexy? Faster than you can say Minnesota, my feet were on the floor—as was my behind because the crazy chair rolled right out from under me. Jerry tells me my face was as red as a fire truck. Thank goodness I was wearing pants that day!
Well, being the gentleman that he is, he didn’t laugh—out loud anyway, but his green eyes had a twinkle, and his cheeks pinked up a bit too. He has a burn scar on the side of his face, and that tends to color when he’s blushing.
So, he helps me up and introduces himself. He’s a fifth grade teacher in a small town near Brainerd, and he had a normally well-behaved student who suddenly started acting out in class. Turns out this student’s parents were going through a rough patch, which always, always affects the children. He knew the couple, both good people, who just couldn’t get over the hump and didn’t know where to turn. So Jerry, being the soft-hearted guy that he is, went looking for a place to help them.
Which is why he came walking through my office door that day. And by the time he left, I was seriously crushing on him.
Jerry kept finding reasons to come in to my office, and my co-workers gave me grief, saying he had a crush on me too. Well, I set out to prove them wrong. The next time he came in, I asked him out. When he said yes, you’ll never guess what happened. Yeah, I ended up on the floor again, but this time, after he helped me up—goodness, my cheeks are burning just thinking about it!—Well, he kisses me, right there in the office, right in front of my colleagues! But I had the last word, because I kissed him back!
Shannon again: Shortly after I met Brenda online, she said something about taking bars to church. I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. In Arkansas, bars mean establishments that sell alcoholic beverages. Upon further questioning, in Minnesota, bars means what we call dessert bars in Arkansas. We got a good laugh out of it. Here’s a yummy recipe from Brenda for bars.

CHOCOLATE – PEANUT BUTTER BARS
(or as my family likes to call them, Uncle Geoffrey’s Fantabulous Peanut Butter Bars)
Ingredients:
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
• 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 lb powdered sugar (1 box or 4 cups)
• 12 oz chocolate chips (1 bag)
Recipe:
Grease 13X9 cake pan.
Heat oven to 200 degrees

Mix softened or melted butter with Graham cracker crumbs. Add peanut butter and stir. Then add powder sugar a little at a time. Mix will be a little crumbly. Press firmly into bottom of cake pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top, then put pan in oven for 5 minutes. Remove and spread chocolate chips.

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. (They taste good right away, but they set up even better if left in refrigerator for 1 day.)

About Brenda: Brenda S. Anderson writes gritty and authentic, life-affirming fiction. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and is currently President of the ACFW Minnesota chapter, MN-NICE. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, theater, roller coasters, and baseball, and she loves watching movies with her family. She resides in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area with her husband of 27 years, their three children, and one sassy cat.

Her debut novel, Chain of Mercy, Book #1 in the Coming Home series, came out in April of 2014, and Pieces of Granite, the prequel to Chain of Mercy and a semi-finalist in the ACFW Genesis Awards, released on November 18, 2014!

Learn more and connect: Website: http://brendaandersonbooks.com/, Blogs: http://brendaandersonbooks.com/blog/, http://inkspirationalmessages.com/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaSAndersonAuthor, Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrendaSAnders_n, Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/brendabanderson, Google+: https://plus.google.com/+BrendaAndersonAuthor/posts, Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8144547.Brenda_S_Anderson, Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Brenda-S.-Anderson/e/B00JHO3J3U/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

About the book – Pieces of Granite: A distressing diagnosis * A retreating husband * A prodigal brother

Debbie Verhoeven is not your typical woman. She sacrificed a counseling career to be a full-time mother. She’d rather pound a nail than round steak. Oprah? No way! Give her ESPN any day. Nothing could be more stressful than scrapbooking. Nothing, except a distressing diagnosis, a husband who is pulling away, and two older brothers who refuse to get along. When the counselor is caught in the middle, when she needs to be strong for those around her, who is left to be strong for her?

Question: What is your favorite dessert?

Come back Nov 24th for Traci Tyne Hilton!