To celebrate the upcoming January 1st release of THE JANUARY WISH, the first book in my small town series set in Tarrin’s Bay; The Town of New Beginnings, I’ve started a new interview segment called ‘At Home With…’

Today, we’re paying a visit to Jenny Schwartz…

1. Hi Jenny, where are you from and how long have you lived there?

Hi Juliet! Thanks for the chance to visit. I’m from Perth, Western Australia, and like a good sandgroper, apart from a few years sojourn in Canberra, I’ve always lived in the West. The sun has to set over the ocean or it just looks wrong to me!

2. What do you love about the place you call home?

My star sign is Cancer, so I really like being near water. Although I can’t afford (hello Lotto fairy, please do visit!) a house by the sea, Perth has its gorgeous coastline and amazing Swan River, and both make me feel good.

3. Do you have a favourite local cafe, restaurant, bar, club, business, or store? Give them a plug here!

I’ll confess. I love bread. Yum, yum, YUM! No carbohydrate-free diets for me! If you’re ever at the Fremantle Markets (I remember them when they were rundown and full of hippies), you must buy bread from Abhi’s Bakery. The best bread anywhere.

4. Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?

This is Toby, affectionately known as “Fur Factory”. He loves to cuddle and share his fur – especially if I’m dressed to go out and wearing black.

[Juliet – Always the way!]

5. What is your favourite room in the house and why?

Kitchen! I did mention my bread-obsession, didn’t I? 🙂 I like cooking. I don’t much like recipes, but mostly the results are edible.

6. If you had to evacuate your house, what three items (apart from people and pets!) would you take?

I’m absurdly practical on this one: My purse because replacing cards is a nightmare, ditto my folder of important documents and probably my laptop. Photos tend to be online now, so no worries there, and clothes can be replaced. Hmm. I hate shoe shopping, so maybe I’d scoop up my shoes.

7. If you had a magic wand, what’s one thing you would change about your home or your town?

Give me that magic wand! I’d put a barrier around the suburb and not let any fruit fly in. With summer coming, it’s the time of fly traps and hassle trying to keep the critters out of the soft fruit. Although last year I did find that basil grown around the fig tree kept the fruit flies away.

8. It’s movie night at your place, the popcorn’s out, and everyone’s nabbed their favourite couch corner or armchair… what movie/s will we watch?

It’s not a movie exactly, but I am desperately waiting on the third instalment of Sherlock. Meantime re-runs of the first two are welcome.

[Juliet – I have heard it’s good!]

9. Imagine you have the luxury of a chef for a night and you’ve invited people over for a dinner party, what would you have the chef cook?

I would want to be surprised. Seriously, thinking up menus is hard work. I’ve just been doing that for my current book and it’s tough.

In case you’re wondering what my hero and heroine ate on their “this is definitely not a date” night out: chargrilled mushrooms stuffed with olive and thyme flavoured fetta, followed by roast chicken with pommes noisettes and spring greens, and Cassie insisted on a chocolate dessert. Any chocolate dessert!

10. Name three books on your To Be Read bookshelf or e-reader:

Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett – Terry Pratchett does steampunk!!!

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh – It was tough waiting for this to come out in paperback.

and I’m waiting for January for Jayne Ann Krentz’s River Road. I love her books.

11. Name something unique or uncommon that you have in your pantry or fridge:

Umm. *contemplates an emergency run to the supermarket to buy something interesting*

Ripe blueberries just picked from the garden. Not unique, but definitely scrumptious.

12. If you could live anywhere for one year, where would you go?

Florence! Wouldn’t everyone?

[Juliet – well, if you’re offering ;)] 

13. You’ve just received a phone call from a friend or relative, and they’ll be arriving in five minutes for a visit. What do you do?

a) Relax on the couch until they arrive.

b) Put the kettle on; place some (probably homemade) snacks onto a tray; set the table; put flowers into a vase; and light a candle (and maybe even make some place cards with your super calligraphy skills).

c) Put the kettle on; tip out a few cookies onto a plate; check your reflection in the mirror, and wait.

d) Freak out; shove excess household clutter under beds, in cupboards, drawers, and the garage; trip over something in the process; hold an ice pack to your bruised forehead while swearing profusely; check the mirror to see if you’re still in pyjamas; frantically change into suitable clothing whilst simultaneously holding ice pack to your head; fall over again; alternate ice pack between head and location of new injury; then shove ice pack under bed and greet visitors with the fakest smile of pure calm you can muster.

c) Put the kettle on; tip out a few cookies onto a plate; check your reflection in the mirror, and wait.

I have to add to c) attack hair with comb. When writing, if I’m truly stuck, I scrunch my hair as I stare at the screen. The result is a bit frightening, to be honest.

Thanks for your hospitality, Jenny!

>>Even though Jenny would probably love you to pay a visit, why not visit her online right now?

Website : Blog : Facebook : Twitter : Goodreads : Google+

>>And help her pay for that in-house chef (or housekeeper) by buying a copy of It’s Love, Dude here:

From our favourite short story writer comes a debut full-length novel about sand, sun, small towns, and surfing…

Zane Carlton is a World Champion surfer. Molly Georgiou is a shy, small-town girl. They have nothing in common except an instantaneous attraction and an impossible quest for a rare, endangered Australian marsupial. But Zane is determined to make it work, and invites Molly to take a step into his world. But Molly isn’t ready for the spotlights and attention — she loves her town, its quirks, its characters. Opposites attract, but can two such different people find both a woylie and forever?

>>WIN! A digital copy of It’s Love, Dude. Open internationally. Enter by leaving a comment. *Winner will be drawn on 27th November and notified via email and in the comments.