Guest Interview: Robin Bridges

I am so excited to introduce today's guest on the Pots 'n Pens blog: Robin Bridges!

By day, Robin is a mild-mannered writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction for young adults. By night, she is a pediatric nurse. Robin lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband, one soon-to-be teenager, and two slobbery mastiffs. THE GATHERING STORM is her first novel.

Dishing with Robin.

If you were marooned on an island and Pots & Pens granted your wish for only one book and one food, what would you choose?

Jane Austen's Complete Works and a never ending bowl of shrimp alfredo (comfort food with comfort reading!)

What is your A+, number 1 writing/editing/query-reading snack?

(Diet coke and Crown doesn’t count, right?) I’m a sugar junkie-  remember William Carlos Williams and his pilfered plums from the icebox?  I crave cold, sweet things when I write.  I’ll stick twinkies in the bottom drawer of my fridge until they’re slightly frozen, or mix blueberry pie filling and Cool Whip and eat it with a spoon.

What’s cooking? Can you share a bit about your next project?

A new paranormal romance set in Regency England.

If your book were a menu item, describe the restaurant that would serve it (e.g., type of food, atmosphere, music).

The Russian Tea Room!

Tell us about your edible specialty, and rate your skill in the kitchen: novice, not bad, or nominate me for a Michelin star.

I failed the cooking part of home ec in school.  (As well as the sewing part, but that’s another story.) My husband is the wizard of the Bridges’ kitchen.  That being said, once I went from using Weight Watchers recipes to using Paula Deen recipes, my dinner approval rating seems to have soared.  Who knew bacon grease + butter = love?

Sadly, now my husband has a new friend named Mr. Cardiologist and my days of pretending to be Paula Deen are over.  Goodbye, bacon grease.  I will miss you…

Recipe Row: What favorite recipe do you have for us today? (If you have a picture, please include it.)

In honor of my main character, Katerina, and in honor of my great-grandparents, who owned a bakery in Ukraine, here’s my favorite easy recipe for Russian black bread.  You can make it in the bread machine!

Russian Black Bread (From Allrecipes)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. water
• 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 c. bread flour
• 1 c. rye flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by teh manufacturer.
2. Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
3. After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool one hour before slicing.  

To learn more about the incredibly awesome Robin Bridges and her super cool debut THE GATHERING STORM, check out her website here.