First, if we were meeting at a coffee shop I’d be drinking a Latte with Coconut Milk and a drizzle of caramel:)What would you order?It depends on the time of day. Mornings, I’m all about Wegman’s “Jamaican Me Crazy” coffee, but after lunch, I switch to specialty teas. Right now I’m addicted to Yogi’s Honey Lavender.

Thanks so much for hanging out with me today.

My pleasure!

Congratulations on your RITA nomination for Fire Me Up in the Contemporary Romance: Long category. Super exciting and what an honor.

Thank you! Truthfully, I’m still pinching myself. It’s really humbling!

For those who are not familiar with your Pine Mountain series can you tell us a little bit about it?

The Pine Mountain series features sexy-sweet stories about small-town people finding big-deal love (the hard way, of course!)

How did you research for this series?

Since there are quite a few chefs and restaurant professionals in this story, I got to eat my way through my research. I also sat behind the scenes in a professional kitchen to see how it’s done.

Are you planning any more books in this series?

The series has five full books and two novellas, and All Wrapped Up is the last book in the series–so you can dive right in!

You also have a rescue squad series, how many books are planned in that series?

The Rescue Squad series will have two books, Reckless and Fearless, and it spins off from Pine Mountain (yay! Cameos!) I’ve got a longer, edgier firefighter series starting in September as well.

What inspired you to write about the men and women who put their lives on the line to go into burning buildings? I’ve added this series to my list, sounds fantastic! What was your biggest obstacle while writing this series? Were there any challenges while writing the books?

I am utterly fascinated by first responder heroes and heroines–for me, there’s nothing sexier than someone willing to run into danger when everyone else runs out. It’s been an eye-opener to write the books, because there are a lot of emotional issues that these men and women have to deal with. Long hours, high risks, traumatic events…it’s a lot to cope with, and I want to make sure I do it justice.

I love that you are a foodie and love to cook. Do you follow any blogs for inspiration and cooking tips? Or, are you a cookbook gal?

I love watching the video blogs for travel and cooking inspiration. We should share sources 😉 I was raised in an Italian family and I married into an Italian family, so we pretty much live by the mantra that food is love! My husband and kids all cook (my girls are 14, 11, and 9), and we watch the Food Network a lot. I do love to read cookbooks, and I have a bunch of recipe boards on my Pinterest page too. But my biggest inspiration is trial and error. Some of my best recipes are ones I came up with while saying, “I wonder what would happen if we put this into the pot!” And when things don’t work out, my family is happy to order pizza 🙂

Your bio mentions that you like wine tastings, can you recommend a vineyard or great bottle of vino?

I’m always up for a great bottle of wine! If I could only have wine or dessert, I’d skip the sweets every time! I love a good Chardonnay. Right now I am digging on Meomi, and I enjoyed a hilariously-named bottle of Runs With Scissors last weekend, too. Mr. K is a pinot noir guy all the way. When we want a special occasion bottle of wine, our go-to is Clark and Telephone.

For those heading out to the conferences can you tell us when and where you will be in the upcoming months?

I will be at the Barbara Vey reader luncheon in Milwaukee on April 30 (the signing is open to the public and there’s an author Q&A at 7PM that’s also open to all!), and I’ll also be at RWA in San Diego from July 12-17 (signing on 7/13), as well as in the DC Metro area on October 8 for the WRW reader luncheon. Tickets are still available for that one, too!

*** 8 Tantalizing Tidbits ***

1. What is a must read book should that we should read and why?

M. O’Keefe’s Everything I Left Unsaid. Be forewarned, it’s a cliffhanger (there are two books, and both are out, so no waiting!) but oh my gravy, I *devoured* this book. Totally gripping and darkly sexy. I loved it.

2. What is one place that I should see if I visit your hometown?

I was raised right outside of Washington DC, so there’s a TON to see 🙂 All the touristy sights are worth it. The architecture is amazing, and the museums are some of the coolest I’ve ever seen. Plus, the food. That’s all!

3. What is your guilty pleasure?

I never feel guilty about the happy things, but if I’m indulging, it’s a day of shopping for me. I have an insane shoe collection. And I wear them all!

4. What are you afraid of?

That something will happen to my family. Being stuck in small spaces. And while I’m not exactly afraid of it, I have a serious aversion to mayonnaise. I cant even look at it without getting the shivers. Gahhhhh.

5. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?

In moderation on me, but to each his or her own–I think lots of tats can be beautiful, and no tats can be beautiful too. I have one on my foot that symbolizes my three girls. I love it.

6. Binge water or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? I am ridiculously impulsive when it comes to shows, and  want them all now now now right now. I am notorious for saying “one more episode!” and then binge watching six. My friends actually make fun of me, that’s how bad it is 🙂

7. What’s your favorite movie of all time and why?

Mr. K makes all sorts of gagging noises when I answer this question, but it’s Shakespeare In Love. I just *adore* it. The acting, the costumes, the story…and hello, Joseph Fiennes! Come on. It’s perfection. Plus, as a wordsmith, I have a giant and slightly ridiculous crush on old Bill. Nobody ever had to twist my arm to read Shakespeare. Seriously.

8. Do you love to cook or go out to eat?

While I do love to cook and I do it a lot, I also love going out to eat. I think there’s something so earthly and appealing about having a meal I might not normally make for myself, and not doing the dishes is a huge bonus!

Thanks again for hanging out! Time for another Latte Happy Reading Dear Readers.

Happy Writing Kimberly!

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To find out who wins the 2016 RITA in each category head over to Romance Writers of America on July 16 at 8PM PT. Winners will be announced and be sure to follow #RITAGH and #RWA16 for all the news that night!

Good Luck to all!

Author Info:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters. Visit her any time at www.kimberlykincaid.com or come check her out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kimberly.kincaid1) and Twitter (@kimberlykincaid).