Dish The Pie With Monique & guest...Chicki Brown #AfricanAmericanRomance #AuthorInterviews & Death By Chocolate

Dish The Pie With Monique and Chicki Brown

Please help me to welcome my good friend and author of African American Contemporary Romance, Chicki Brown to Dish The Pie. Chicki and I have known each other for a long time, way before either of us was ever published. I'm thrilled to have Chicki here to share her favourite pie recipe with us, and to tell us a little about her Stafford Brothers series. 

Hello and welcome, Chicki. I want to hear about your series, but let’s hold up for a minute cos you know I have to ask...

Do you like desserts? What is your favourite and would you share the recipe with us?

Chicki: I love dessert more than real food. My favourite is Death By Chocolate (or anything chocolate, for that matter.

Monique: I hear you on the loving dessert more than food. I hear you, I hear you, I hear you. Okay, guys, I know this is why you all really stopped by, so here is the recipe.

  

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients 

Photo: Baby Kato

Serves

12-16

4 eggs

1⁄2 cup oil

1⁄2 cup water

8 ounces sour cream

1 (18 ounce) box chocolate cake mix

1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix

12 ounces milk chocolate chips

Created by Crystal Swan for Dish The Pie With Monique

Directions

Beat 4 eggs, water, oil, & sour cream until smooth.
Add the box of cake mix and pudding stirring until smooth.
added chocolate chips, mixing just until blended.
Pour into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.
Ice with chocolate icying.

Monique: Chicki, have you ever eaten pie for breakfast? If so, what was it?

Chicki:  I have an annual tradition, the day after Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas I have sweet potato pie, a cup of tea and a slice of whatever cake is left over for breakfast.

Monique: I’ve never had sweet potato pie, but it sounds divine for breakfast! 

Monique: When was the last time you laughed?

Chicki: A few minutes ago while I watched a music mashup of President Obama “singing” Drake’s Hotline Bling. Hilarious! I love to laugh, because as the Bible says, “A merry heart does good like medicine.”

Monique: Amen to that! I must check out the mashup. I can imagine how funny it must be.

Monique: What’s your idea of romance? What do you consider romantic.

Chicki: Romance is doing anything that pleases your partner, and it’s different for everyone. For me it might be going somewhere special with my man (the beach, dinner, a walk in the park) and then coming home and spending undisturbed time together. Whether we’re just talking or making love (or both), that’s my idea for a perfect romantic evening.

Monique: Hubba-Hubba...

Monique: Where would you be more at home? The countryside, suburbia, or the city? 

Chicki: I’m not a city girl or a country girl. Since I was born and raised in the suburbs, stepping out my front door onto concrete or into a cow pasture would both disturb me tremendously.  I like a grassy yard away from the traffic but close enough to the nearest mall that I can be there in ten minutes. 

Monique: I’m a suburbia girl, too, although I did grow up on a plantation...which is probably why I prefer the suburbs!  

Monique: Which type of music do you like? Do you have a favourite artist? Does your music tastes ever change?

Chicki: You’re talking to a music fanatic here! I love almost all music (with the exception of country, opera and heavy metal). My favourite artists from back in the day are Luther Vandross, Prince, James Brown, Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson. My current pop faves are John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Jill Scott, Kem. I also have my favourite gospel and jazz artists. 

I write listening to smooth jazz, because I can’t concentrate if there are vocals. 

Monique: Hey...I love country! Jazz is just so wonderful. I can’t work with any noise. I think I might have a non-existent attention span. Thank you so much for spending time with us today, Chicki. Have a great New Year! Oh, and tell us about your Stafford Brothers series.

Chicki: The Stafford Brothers were born into a closely-knit family and raised and educated among Atlanta’s elite. But the six sons of one of Atlanta’s most successful doctors have not always walked in their father’s footsteps. Charles, Jesse and Vic, Jr. followed the medical path. Marc and Greg took different routes. Nick isn’t sure which way he wants to go. The brothers have challenges to face, secrets to keep and stories to tell.

Stafford Brothers UK | Stafford Brothers US  | Paperback 

What Amazon readers are saying about the Stafford Brothers series:

“Each brother, though handsome (this is romance, after all) is distinct in appearance, demeanor, and character. I have no problem distinguishing the sweetness of Charles (Till You Come Back To Me) from the granola-loving-tree-hugginess of Marc (A Woman's Worth ) from the impulsiveness of Greg (Don't Stop Till You Get Enough) and now the steady soberness of Vic.”

“The Stafford family, richly steeped in the world of medicine, consists of a heap of unique, strong, attractive--did I say hunky?--men.”

“Love how a real man stepped up to the plate and showed how to love the woman who touched his heart.” – Marc in A WOMAN’S WORTH

“Charles shows himself to be as upstanding as he is a gifted surgeon, making Adanna a goner.” – TILL YOU COME BACK TO ME

“Greg is by far the most damaged of the brothers, and that makes him very interesting.” – DON’T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH

“Chicki Brown drops us into the moment where we meet both Greg Stafford and conflict. No teasing. Just get ready, because this guy's secret is a complicated one.” – DON’T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH

“At times, I thought Vic was clueless, but that's the mark of a nicely-drawn character.” – Vic in I’M LOSING YOU

Contemporary women’s fiction/romance author Chicki Brown has been featured in USAToday. She was the 2014 B.R.A.B. (Building Relationships Around Books) Inspirational Fiction Author and also the 2011 SORMAG (Shades of Romance Magazine) Author of the Year. Chicki was also a contributing author to the Gumbo for the Soul: Men of Honor (Special Cancer Awareness Edition). 

Nia Forrester, Beverly Jenkins, Eric Jerome Dickey, Lisa Kleypas, J.R. Ward and Suzanne Brockmann are among her favorite authors.


A transplanted New Jersey native who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, Brown still misses the Jersey shore.

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Amazon Central Author Page | Goodreads

Featured #Author: Chicki Brown ~ Ain't Too Proud To Beg

 

Today, I'm featuring best selling author and good friend, Chicki Brown! She has been an inspiration to me and one of the wonderful people who encouraged me to take my writing career in my hands. I don't only love her cos she's just fab. I also love her writing. Her books are entertaining and deep. She tackles subjects that makes you take notice.

And her latest book has hit the shelves!

AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG is a story about Hollywood film star Vaughn Breland, and physical therapist Trenyce Clark. When a man loses everything he values, can he find something more precious in return?

Hollywood film star Vaughn Breland has wrecked his beloved Lamborghini, lost his latest movie role, the use of his legs and possibly his fabulous good looks. He’s depressed and mad at the world then he meets Trenyce Clark, his new physical therapist. Trenyce, and her beautiful three-year-old daughter, give him a new outlook on life.

EXCERPT

Dr. Liu’s assistant called to say his surgery ran longer than expected, and he wanted me to go ahead and introduce myself to Vaughn Breland. I hated to admit it, but the prospect of meeting the handsome actor jangled my nerves. In order to appear cool and professional, I would have to put on my game face and approach him as I would any other patient.

Still amazed at the news of my prospective patient, I sat at my desk and studied Vaughn Breland’s file. His injuries were extensive, but from what I read, it appeared that Dr. Liu had done his usual marvelous job in surgery. A knock on the door interrupted my contemplation.

“Excuse me.”

Oh, my God. This couldn’t be happening. I recognized the trademark heavy baritone without even looking up, because I had just heard it a few nights before. It belonged to Devon Burke!

“Hope you don’t mind, but I asked at the nurses’ station where your office was. May I come in?”

I glanced up, smoothed my hair and smiled, conscious to keep it from being too wide. “Of course, Mr. Burke. What can I do for you?”

Dressed in a body-hugging black t-shirt and jeans, he entered my small office, instantly increasing the ambience in the room one thousand percent. He took a few steps toward the desk then paused.

He’s waiting for you to invite him to sit, you idiot. Pull yourself together.  “Please, have a seat.” I pointed to a chair.

“Call me Devon, please. We might as well be on a first name basis, since we’ll probably be talking to each other a lot.”

 After an unsteady plop into the chair, I managed to fold my hands on top of the blotter to keep them from shaking.

“You haven’t met Vaughn yet, but Dr. Liu told me you’ve been assigned to his case. I need to explain a few things to you, if you have the time right now.

“Of course. What do you need?”

“He wants to be transferred back to L.A., and according to Dr. Liu, that would not only be expensive but could also be disastrous. Could you try to talk some sense into him about coming back to Cali? He has no family there to look after him, but he has an opportunity to stay here in Telluride for as long as it takes to get back on his feet. Will you convince him this is the best route for him to take right now?”

The pleading look in his deep-set dark eyes showed the depth of concern for his friend. “I can only stay here for another day, and if I don’t do everything I can to get him straight before I leave, Shontae – my wife – will kill me.”

“That’s right. You’re married to Shontae Nichols, the author. I’m reading one of her books right now.”

He smiled, and it seemed as if the entire office lit up. “Really? Which one?”

“The latest one, Standing in the Shadows of Love.”

“Wow, what a coincidence. I’ll have to tell her.”

“I’ve read her last three.”

“Is that so?” The brightness in the office increased again when his smile widened. “She’ll be pleased to hear that.”

“I’d be glad to talk to Mr. Breland, but the decision is up to him. We can’t force him to stay here.”

Devon leaned forward and clasped his hands on the edge of the desk. “Vaughn can be really stubborn, but he’ll usually listen to reason

Grab your copy of Ain't Too Proud To Beg from any of these outlets:

Amazon.com *~* AmazonUK *~* Kobo *~* Nook