Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to Cori Cooper!
Cori Cooper lives in the magical Arizona Mountains, which she’s pretty convinced is the setting for all the fairy tales. Besides writing stories, she adores hanging out with her family, playing board games, hiking and baking, baking, baking. Like Cat’s family, she’s positive Cinnamon Rolls fix everything.
Tell us about your book!
My latest book, Bake Off, is the sequel to Bake Believe.
Bake Believe
Baking is messy enough without adding Magic to the mix.
Cat Anderson has everything she could ever want. Her best friend is also her cousin, she’s about to start eighth grade, and a cute new boy just moved into the neighborhood. Seriously, best life ever.
So what if her mom refuses to touch the oven? So what if they always eat frozen food or take-out? So what if Cat doesn’t know the difference between homemade and store bought? It’s just food. Who even cares?
But food, it turns out, is a very big deal.
Cat’s family has a secret too fantastic to stay hidden, too incredible to be real. Something happens when they bake, something that changes everything.
Can it be true? Or is it Bake Believe?
Bake Off
Now that Cat knows what her baking can do, it’s time to discover why and how!
Cat and her family road-trip all the way to Arizona for Thanksgiving break to find the answers they need at the family bakery. Instead of resolving her bazillion questions, Cat finds herself in the middle of a bakery showdown with suspicion as the main ingredient. Emotions are all over the place as Cat and Robyn learn the hard way that reckless baking and magic is a recipe for disaster.
Buy Bake Off!
Now for the fun stuff!
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?
I love magic in the real world, do you call that magical realism? Or urban fantasy? or maybe it’s contemporary fantasy! 🙂 Anyways, it’s my favorite to read about a little fantasticalness in the middle of reality. That’s also my favorite thing to write!
I’m pretty sure that’s magical realism! My first series falls into that category. 🙂
What’s your favorite part about writing?
I really love brainstorming a new idea, but my very, most favoritest, thing is to revise. I know that’s weird, but there’s something about taking what’s already written and figuring out how to make it better that speaks to me!!
Ughhhhh… will you please revise my manuscript? This is the hardest part for me.
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
For sure the first draft. It’s a bit of a chore to get the story out of my brain and on paper for the first time. I am master at finding other things to do instead: alphabetize my socks, color coordinate my makeup, organize the cupboard under the sink. 🙂 I kind of have to bribe myself to get it done, like, if I get my words in for the day and I can watch an hour of BBC Pride and Prejudice or buy fresh flowers or paint my toenails a new color.
I’m supposed to be editing and instead I really want to paint my toenails. I think you are my spirit animal.
What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?
I really love to bake! I’m not so good at cakes, I blame the high altitude where I live, but I adore working with yeast doughs. Cinnamon rolls, breadsticks, monkey bread, all the breads! I have a sourdough start I’m a little obsessed with and love figuring out what else I can use it for. It makes fantastic tortillas, by the way, and my friend just gave me a recipe for brownies that uses the sourdough start. Like, where have those been all my life? Best brownies ever!!
Oh wow, I’m very intrigued about making tortillas from the starter! Also, I’ve hiked in Arizona and my family has a cabin in the mountains!
Who’s your biggest cheerleader?
I have such a great support system, so many people that cheer me on and build me up. I feel really lucky in that area. My husband and kids are for sure at the top of that list. They are always up for a brainstorm session, a character arc debate, and a solid beta read.
Ooh, those are the BEST conversations!!
Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!
Introvert or extrovert? I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I love my people, but I need time alone to recharge too.
Morning or night person? Okay, funny you should ask, I was just wondering about this the other day. I used to be a night person — when I was in high school. Then I was a super morning person — when my kids were babies. Now I like to go to bed early and sleep in. I’m not sure what you would call that!!
Coffee or tea? Not really either, I just love me some water!
Sweet or salty? Can I have both? Nothing beats it!
Eternal summer or four seasons? Four seasons for sure!
Mountains or beach? I live in the mountains and I LOVE the beach.
Dogs or cats? Puppies.
Over 5’5” or under? Over.
Left or right-handed? Right.
Hoodie or yoga pants? Yoga pants. I sort of live in those things! 🙂
Haha, you are the first author to answer ‘puppies.’ And I hear you on the morning vs. night. I’m a night person, but have gone through periods in my life when I seem super efficient in the morning.
Cori, thank you much for spending this time with me and my readers. I’ve enjoyed this so much! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I’ve wanted to write and publish books since I was a little girl. I feel so blessed to have this chance now. Whenever people ask me how I stay motivated to write when it’s hard or unglamorous or frustrating, I tell them this. You believe in You. If you have stories to tell and a desire to tell them, do it. Don’t worry if you’re good enough. You are. Don’t wonder if someone will want to read it. Someone will. Don’t believe anyone who says the word can’t. You can. The only way you fail in this business — or any other, actually — is if you give up. Don’t!
That is such an important message! Readers, you can find Cori at these links—and be sure to check out Bake Off!
Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Buy Bake Off!
If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.
