Author Guest Post - Dianne Castell (& a Giveaway - closed)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009Today I'm pleased to welcome Dianne Castell, author of Hot and Irresistible. Her guest post here today is part of this book's virtual tour, courtesy Pump Up Your Book Promotion. And I received a copy of this book for hosting this tour.
Southern Speak
Or...you’re not in Kansas anymore.
My November release, Hot and Irresistible, is set in Savannah. I love Savannah. I don’t live there but my daughter goes to school there and we vacationed in the area long before that and I knew some day I wanted set a book among the big moss draped oaks, magnolias the size of dinner plates, azaleas as big as a bus and Paula Deen’s. ‘course that Savannah is the most haunted city in the US made the city even more intriguing.
But there was this one teeny problem, I don’t talk like Scarlett O’Hara. I live in Ohio, the land of flat A’s and folks who say “please” when they mean “excuse me.” I have no idea where that come from but it’s better than “huh?”
I had to do a lot of research to make sure I had Lady and Sons on the right street and to make sure what streets are one-way and which way they go. But you have to do that when you write any book. The big challenge was how to write Southern-eeze?
I do live in Cincinnati and married a guy from Kentucky. He truly does say things like “fine as frog’s hair” and causin’ a ruckus and we do have fried chicken with white gravy once a week. But how do you write real Savannah?
Such things as Miss Emily and Miss Gloria are proper addresses as is asking how someone’s mama and daddy are but what else? I got a lot of flavor from Southern movies. Of course there’s Gone With the Wind, which was a far better book than move but still it helped to hear them talk. And Something to Talk About that was set in Savannah so that helped a ton, and my favorite Southern movie, The Client. This one just happened to be a better movie than a book, in my opinion.
So, I’m here to ask you... What is your favorite book set in the South and do you have any Southern-isms or words of wisdom from the South to pass on?
For you efforts, I have an ARC of Hot and Bothered to give away from the responses. Ya’ll have a nice day now, ya’ hear.
My November release, Hot and Irresistible, is set in Savannah. I love Savannah. I don’t live there but my daughter goes to school there and we vacationed in the area long before that and I knew some day I wanted set a book among the big moss draped oaks, magnolias the size of dinner plates, azaleas as big as a bus and Paula Deen’s. ‘course that Savannah is the most haunted city in the US made the city even more intriguing.
But there was this one teeny problem, I don’t talk like Scarlett O’Hara. I live in Ohio, the land of flat A’s and folks who say “please” when they mean “excuse me.” I have no idea where that come from but it’s better than “huh?”
I had to do a lot of research to make sure I had Lady and Sons on the right street and to make sure what streets are one-way and which way they go. But you have to do that when you write any book. The big challenge was how to write Southern-eeze?
I do live in Cincinnati and married a guy from Kentucky. He truly does say things like “fine as frog’s hair” and causin’ a ruckus and we do have fried chicken with white gravy once a week. But how do you write real Savannah?
Such things as Miss Emily and Miss Gloria are proper addresses as is asking how someone’s mama and daddy are but what else? I got a lot of flavor from Southern movies. Of course there’s Gone With the Wind, which was a far better book than move but still it helped to hear them talk. And Something to Talk About that was set in Savannah so that helped a ton, and my favorite Southern movie, The Client. This one just happened to be a better movie than a book, in my opinion.
So, I’m here to ask you... What is your favorite book set in the South and do you have any Southern-isms or words of wisdom from the South to pass on?
For you efforts, I have an ARC of Hot and Bothered to give away from the responses. Ya’ll have a nice day now, ya’ hear.
About
USA Today best selling author Dianne Castell writes for Kensington BRAVA. She also writes a monthly editor interview column for Romance Writers Report. Her books have won Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, been on the cover of Romantic Times Magazine and included in Rhapsody Book Club, Doubleday Book Club and have made the Waldenbooks Bestseller list. The second book in her Savannah Sizzles series for the BRAVA line, Hot and Irresistible, hits the shelves Nov‘09. Hot Summer Nights is out May ’10.
Dianne lives in Cincinnati with her two cats and will do just about anything to get out of housework. You can visit her website at www.DianneCastell.com.
** Edited to Add ** My mistake. I forgot to add - the giveaway ends Midnight CST of November 21, 2009. Giveaway open to US only.
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54 People said
It's hard for me to say that I have a favorite "Southern" book. That's because each of the "Southern" books that I have read will be spot-on in some regards and "over-Southernized" in other aspects. I was born and raised in Virginia. My mother was a Virginian, and my father was a Tennessean. Being from the Southeast, my Southern culture is quite varied from the Deep South of Georgia. We do all say "y'all". Here are some other good ole Southernisms:
ReplyDeleteSnap Granny's Garters (what a surprise)
Jarred My Preserves (shook me up)
Like Two Cats In A Sack (can't get along)
Green As A Gourd (a real novice)
Gully-Washer (torrential rain)
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
I don't know if I have a favorite book but most of the books I read are set in the south. I really like the ones in Georgia or Louisana
ReplyDeletedcf_beth at verizon dot net
I loved Gone With the Wind and The Collected Stories of Elizabeth.
ReplyDeletedorcontest at gmail dot com
It is hard to pick out a specific book. Heather Graham had a trilogy based in New Orleans that I really enjoyed.
ReplyDelete"Nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs" is a saying my Grandma used to use a lot. We also eat lots of grits, fried cornbread, greens, etc.
lisaguertin@yahoo.com
Hi Dianen,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite southern romance author is Luann Mclane. She writes deliciously funny romantic comedies. Her books really make me travel (I'm in France, and nothing is more exotic and appealing to me than cowboys ;-).
oups here is my address
ReplyDeletemollytucker(at)hotmail(dot)fr
Oh, Virginia. I love the Southernisms.
ReplyDeleteThanks for passing them on.
Hi, Emmanuella. LuAnn is a good friend! We live here in Cincinnati. I love her books too! I'll tell her you said hi. My daughter is in Paris this week for work and having a great time. So much fun to travel.
Hi, Lisa. I used the cat in a roomful of rocking chairs in my book. Love that saying. :-)
Hi, Dor.
Yeah, GWTW will always be a fav. It's a bit flowery by today's standards but I sure felt as if I was right in the middle of hte Civil War when I read it.
Hi, Debbie. I love Georgia books and Savannah is my fav. Atlanta is good for a big city feel but for the South is's Savannah for me.
Thanks for chatting! Wonderful talking with you all.
Hugs, Dianne
I adore the South and it's humble and genteel qualitites. Gone With the Wind is a primary example of such Southern feelings and qualities.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. My fingers are crossed.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
Dianne,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite southern book would be "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
Being from the Northeast, I don't know many southern-isms. I just know that people from the south are very polite when they speak to you - "yes, ma'am" "no sir" "Miss Jane" "Mr. John".
Thanks for spending some time with us. I look forward to reading your book.
Cheryl ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com
I like Beverly Barton's romantic suspense novel's that are set mostly in Ala. They give a good representation of the South!! Here are some of the "Southernisms I grew up hearing here in Miss.:
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen you in a month of Sundays (long time)
I haven't seen you in a "coon's age" (long time)
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
I like Sandra Hill's cajun series novels, no one book in particular, they were all fun!
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Ha! Love books from the south...one I just read this week, Shelly Laurenston's "The Mane Attraction" Werewolf shifters living in the south playin' football and eating barbeque. :) Love it!
ReplyDeleterachie2004 @ yahoo (d0t) com
I'm a follower too :)
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lyoness2009 AT hot mail **dot** COM
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the title right now, but I enjoy the Sandra Brown book where there's a murder in New Orleans. Wonderful mystery and romance!
Loved Gone With the Wind
ReplyDeletecopperllama at yahoo dot com
Charline Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series!!
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http://sexywomenread.blogspot.com
kaylajohnson3969@sbcglobal.net
I just love the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris.
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lizzi0915 at aol dot com
I don't have a specific book in mind, but I love books that talk about southern charm and of course, southern cooking. Friend chicken with all the fixins'! Yummy!! I also like books that are set in the Louisiana Bayou that have regional food. Now, I'm hungry!!
ReplyDeletenancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Gone With the Wind. walkerd@primus.ca
ReplyDeleteComment #2 on Great New Books from Harper Collins post!
ReplyDeletedelilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com
I liked the series set in New Orleans by Heather Graham. Also enjoyed reading the books by Beverly Barton that are set in the south and "Gone With the Wind".
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!
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One of my favorites is Karen Robard's book Ghost Moon, which is set in Louisiana.
ReplyDeleteOnly men and women in the south can call someone sweetie, honey, sugar and not be considered improper or rude.
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Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison. Actually any of Dorothy Allison's books are great. For a new author it might be Girls In Trucks by Katie Crouch.
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My favorite book set in the South is Gone With The Wind. Even though I have lived in the south for seventeen years now, I really don't have any words of wisdom to pass on. My husband and I are still living in awe of true southerns. I can say they are the nicest people I have ever met.
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Congrats to the winner who has been notified. Thank you all for stopping by!
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